Today is Kelley's birthday. I'm glad she was born. I'm also glad she loves life enough to live it to the full, day in day out, and glad she chooses to spend those days with me. I'm glad her mother and father met. Glad they loved and cherished Kelley and helped her become the person she is. I'm glad for all their forebears who gave her the most fabulous set of genes on the planet, that contributed to the fact that she's healthier today than at any point in the last twenty years. And she looks awesome, too :)
Glad is a good word. As well as meaning feeling joy or pleasure; delighted; pleased it also means very willing, as in 'I'd be glad to take you out for a beer or three this afternoon and bask in our absolute trust and attraction and mutual delight and see what happens'. And one of the very many things I love about Kelley is how very willing and cheerful she is, even when faced with less than delightful tasks. She is also, of course, always willing to say, Ah fuck it, let's go drink beer! (Yes, that's what we'll be doing this afternoon, going to a pub we know where they see us walk in and have our favourite pint on the table before we even sit down.)
Glad comes from the Old English glæd--that æ is pronounced just like the a in glad, so the OE word sounds, well, very like the New English word. There's a reason for that. It's a word that is so basic, so foundational to a good life that it reached perfection a very long time ago. (No, that's not how it really works but just for today let's pretend.)
So today I'm glad. I hope you find some gladness, too.
