Birthday Parties

Today a neighbor friend celebrated his third birthday. Instead of a full-blown bash with party favors, presents and organized games, kids of all ages congregated in the birthday honoree's backyard to sing to the birthday boy, watch him blow out his candles and, amongst themselves, organized a few impromptu games of Duck, Duck Goose and a few other games I wasn't familiar with. The kids happily ate their cake and drank their juice while the grown-ups chased newly toddling toddlers and chatted. Start to finish the party lasted about an hour. And you know what? No one missed the party favors. The mother was happy to have only a few homemade cards to deal with instead of piles of toys that would be forgotten tomorrow. Every child there was happy and smiling and had a fantastic time.

It's nice to be reminded sometimes of how nice and enjoyable simple can be.