a quarter and a half

Clair approaches Cliff with the thought, “We have to do something really special for our 25^th anniversary.” To which he quietly replies, “But, dear, we’ve been married 22 years.” Claire: “So?” Cliff, quietly: “What about the 23^rd anniversary? I mean you just don’t want to whisk by that.” Claire: “No, I don’t want to whisk by it.” Cliff: “But you just went right to the 25^th. I mean, you had the 23^rd in your rearview mirror. And the 23^rd was sitting there on the curb with its head down and just saying, “I don’t know why she doesn’t like me … just because you can’t divide me by five. I mean, I’m an anniversary and I’m a good anniversary, so don’t be putting that 25 in my face.” [The Cosby Show]

I don’t know why the prospect of '25' meant so much to me this year. But on July 17th, my birthday - it did.

Birthdays are all the same in my opinion - special days, to be sure - but each year is just as important as the one that came before. And the one that will follow. I don’t think that my birthday this year was any more valuable than last years. Or than the one that will come next.

I guess I just realized this year that I am a quarter-of-a-century old. And it started to toy with my mind. In a good way.

For a couple of weeks only, my mom and I shared a special secret. I could say that I was 25 ... she could still say that she was 50. A quarter and a half, perfectly.

I don’t know why this seems like such a neat thing. To me, it does. Maybe it made me realize that I am half of my mom. Or that I’m, in a sense, halfway to being as good as her. Whatever the reason, it made me think a lot. And made me very grateful to have the mother that I do. Thankful for the time she has given me. I’ll be her half, any day.

I'm five years old,

it's getting cold,

I've got my big coat on.

I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you,

I run and run.

Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides -

look now, the sky is gold.

I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home.

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall -

I know you're not scared of anything at all.

Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away -

but I know I had th

e best day with you today.

I'm thirteen now

and don't know how my friends could be so mean.

I come home crying

and you hold me tight and grab the keys.

And we drive and drive

until we found a town far enough away.

And we talk and window shop

'til I've forgotten all their names.

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school -

but I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you.

Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay -

but I know I had the best day with you today.

And now I know why the all the trees change in the fall -

I know you were on my side, even when I was wrong.

And I love you for giving me your eyes -

for staying back and watching me shine.

And I didn't know if you knew,

so I'm taking this chance to say -

that I had the best day with you today.

Lyrics: The Best Day; Taylor Swift