Megan Vered: My 70th Birthday

Stuck on what to do for your birthday? You might try taking a page out of Megan Vered’s book.

I started thinking about my milestone 70th birthday last January. Didn’t want a blowout party and I certainly didn’t need a bunch of gifts. What did I want? I landed a plan—I would mark the new decade with 70 unique experiences with friends and family. I sent out an email asking people to propose a special birthday activity. My job was to say yes.

The results? A fabulous year of unforgettable events. A picnic lunch on the ferry. A Pink Martini concert at SF Jazz. A windy San Francisco tour on the hop on hop off bus. A modern dance class at Shawl Anderson. Hikes in the hills and beach strolls. A rainy-day float in a sulfur pool. Steaming cups of chai and coffee. Great company and conversation. The most memorable events weren’t flashy and many of them were within driving distance of my home. It was all about carving out intentional, quality time.

We all have birthdays and many of us are in search of meaningful ways to elevate the celebration. We can all use our birthdays as a launching pad for adventure, a call to amplify our sense of connection and community, an opportunity to browse through the continuing education catalogue of life.

So, what did I learn? I learned that saying yes reaps great rewards. I learned that all you have to do is ask. I learned that spending cherished time with people I love is so much richer than an epic blowout. And more than anything, my year of fun helped me see that though I may slow down as I age, neither my dazzle nor my friendships have dimmed. I won’t stop dancing until the floor drops out from under me.

With a Perspective, I’m Megan Vered.

Megan Vered is a writer and literary hostess. She lives in San Rafael.