A Story About a Special Orange
This year, on Kathy's birthday, we started walking across the Pyrenees from the South of France into Spain to honor and celebrate her. Our original plan was to have a birthday picnic somewhere in the mountains, but the weather had other plans, as the rain continued throughout the day.
Before our hike began, we had prepared candles, a cupcake, and a handful of other treats for the birthday picnic, but we had to cancel because of the rain.
As the evening came, we went to dinner and found ourselves gathered around a communal dinner table at our accommodations. Our host prepared a three-course meal for the guests, and he even accommodated my vegan needs with a salad and an orange for dessert. As the meal came to an end, the host invited each of us to share our reasons for going on this pilgrimage.
One by one, stories were shared, each filled with personal significance and heartfelt emotion. When we stood up and shared that our walk was to honor Kathy and that today marked her 27th birthday, a quietness fell over the room. We shared that we intended to have a birthday picnic on the Pyrenees. I describe how we wanted to be in the mountains, as close as possible to the heavens, to wish Kathy a happy birthday. I then opened my bag, took out the candles that were still tucked away, and stuck them in my orange. The host approached and lit the candles, and the room sang Happy Birthday for Kathy. It was an emotional and unforgettable moment, with people from around the world joining in to celebrate her special day with us.
The following day, we continued our hike along the mountain trails. At one of the highest points, we shared the orange while reminiscing about Kathy. We left some of the orange on the mountain for her and were blessed to have created beautiful memories of Kathy's 27th birthday.
