Wonderful December!
I am one of those who loves December. I know… dark, slushy, and cold! But there is so much to be happy about: the Christmas trees, the light in the windows, the anticipation, and a new year just around the corner.
Many of my friends have birthdays in December, including myself. I love gifts, surprises, and cakes! I have a special birthday memory that I remember as if it were yesterday, even though it was a very long time ago.
I was 14 years old and soon turning 15. I spent almost every day at an animal shelter, helping out. There were homeless cats and dogs there, and I loved walking the dogs, earning their trust, or sitting in the “kitchen” with a cat on my lap. We cooked meat for the dogs and fish for the cats. The smell in the kitchen is hard to describe, but you got used to it. And the animals – they were just amazing.
The man who ran the shelter, Mr. Jönsson, also had two ponies: a Shetland pony named Claus and a larger pony named Prins. I used to take care of them and sometimes ride. But a few weeks earlier, Prins had passed away from colic, and we all felt sorry for Claus, who was now alone. Mr. Jönsson had mentioned that he might get a new horse, but even then, horses were expensive, so it was not something we could take for granted.
A week before my birthday, Mr. Jönsson called – something he never usually did. He asked me to come over immediately! I had a feeling it might be a new horse, so I borrowed my brother’s moped (even though I wasn’t allowed to ride a moped until I turned 15). I had secretly practiced a little before, so I knew how to drive and got there as quickly as I could.
And there he stood: the little pony! Mr. Jönsson said he would be “mine” as long as I continued to help out at the shelter. He had found the perfect way to ensure that I would never stop coming there.
It was the best birthday I had ever had. And on my actual birthday the following week, I bought my first moped with money I had saved from my confirmation and other savings. Now I had both my own horse and my own moped, and I was convinced I never wanted to grow older than 15.
Of course, that wish didn’t come true. It’s now over 50 years later, and I have continued to grow older. But instead of mourning that, I am grateful that I have been able to live so long and experience so much – especially considering that I have had family and friends who didn’t get the same chance.
Mr. Jönsson passed away a couple of years after this event, and his brother inherited everything he had. I worried a lot about my pony, but Mr. Jönsson’s brother felt sorry for me and gave me the pony. I cried with gratitude – my best friend would get to stay with me.
Now it’s December again, and soon my birthday. I wonder if I will ever have a birthday as special as that one. It will be exciting to see – surprises are always welcome!
