The Best Birthday Present Ever

It’s my birthday today. I’m 40 years old. And I feel surprisingly young. When I got home from work this evening, Sara presented me with the best birthday present I’ve ever received — a stack of emails from friends in response to one that she had written to them. Here is what Sara wrote:

Karl turns FORTY next week and I was wondering if you might help me celebrate him, if you’ll pardon the expression. If you have time, would you mind emailing me a few kind words that I could share with him on the 20th? I was thinking you might share your earliest memory of him, or your fondest memory, or maybe just one of the things you like most about him. I myself can think of several! :)

Thanks all. I really appreciate it.

In case you missed the smoking-gun evidence, I have the coolest wife in the world.

So, Sara read a few of the email responses to me before dinner, and I’m about to read a few more. I’m trying to savor them, even though it feels a bit like reading about some vaguely familiar person whose name I can’t quite remember (my difficulty with accepting praise is something my therapist insists I overcome).

My deepest and most heartfelt thanks go out to all my kind, sweet, loving friends and family members who responded to Sara’s request. The many wonderful people in my life are perhaps the most tangible evidence of God’s presence in my life. Thank you all for blessing my life with your love and friendship.

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7 Responses to The Best Birthday Present Ever

  1. nicole says:

    Love ya, Karl!

  2. KARIN & JOE HAMPEL says:

    Hej, Karl- CONGRATULATIONS from Karin and Joe and family. Just got back from a week in Florida after “Lucia” which was one of the best EVER…( except when YOU were in it, of course. ) I’ll always remember that tilting cone-shaped starboy hat, and the battles waged with brother Dean, with it…(Kind of like swords…) Here’s to the NEXT 40! A toast! love, Karin and Joe Hampel

  3. Dennis says:

    Hey Karl, I wasn’t invited to do so, but wanted to wish you a belated Happy Birthday anyway. Please know that you are thought of often and fondly.
    Cheers,
    Dennis

  4. Karl says:

    Thanks, Dennis! I’m sure Sara would have sent you her email if she had known your email address. ;-)

  5. Dennis says:

    No worries – and please tell her that I think of her often and fondly, too!
    I just celebrated my 41st birthday (12/27) with friends in Vientiane, Laos — first in the sauna/massage tables at Wat Sok Pa Luang (the “forest monastery”):
    http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Vientiane sauna
    and later over several big bottles of Beerlao, which the Bangkok Post has called “the Dom Perignon of SE Asia.” Life is good!
    Cheers,
    Dennis
    P.S. Am plotting a brief return to West Michigan sometime this summer; will keep you posted–DGH

  6. ah man this post is precious!
    hope you had a great birthday karl, and many more happy years for you!
    wins

  7. Karl,
    I know this was 4 years ago, but I agree with you 100%!, your wife did give you a wonderful gift! Now that’s putting the web to work in the best way possible. How long did it take you to get through all these wonderful gifts? Happy very belated…Phillip.

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