I turned 80 this year (2026). My friends Dayna and Steve Nixon here in Arvada hosted an open-house style birthday party. It was wonderful; it felt more important than I had expected. Dayna knows how to plan a party! She and Steve had decorated their wonderful house with banners and "80"s everywhere! Our friends Carol and Julie brought balloons, including a large 8 and 0! I had put together a collage of photos over 80 years of me over the 80 years. Maggie served as "docent" for my collage, answering questions from friends. (Collage without labels)
I don't know how I'm actually 80 years old, other than putting one foot (or wheel) in front of the other and just keeping on. Some call that resilience; I guess I would have to agree: I've adapted to the many changes in my life and learned something from each one, occasionally painfully. (I've written a book about this life.)
I also wrote a tribute to my young Ben at the party. Here's the last couple of sentences: "you hung in, persevered, asked questions, sought answers, tried on things to see if they fit, and became the me I am today. I give thanks to God who has been with me, nudging, encouraging, inviting me forward to more and more life. I am so grateful for the gift of life today." Here's the text. I only read the first page.
Some photos:
