I cannot believe that it’s been an entire year since we last celebrated Clay Aiken’s birthday! It’s amazing to me how time moves forward, but none of us seem to be getting any older 😉
For the most part, it’s been a quiet year, with bits of brilliance, excitement and joy mixed in. In our Nation, it’s been a year of welcoming new members into our embrace and saying good bye to friends, to family, to loved ones. It has been a year of reflection.
So here’s my “Birthday Musings”:
Life is precious, make the most of every second. Life can be fragile, embrace those around you like there is no tomorrow – there may not be. Don’t sweat the small stuff; it’s small for a reason. Always try to see the other side’s point of view, even if you disagree (it makes for much nicer family dinners, don’t ya think?).
Don’t stew about things you have no control over. Don’t allow anger, or disappointment, to get in the way of living life; don’t allow those feelings to tarnish special and precious moments – you can never get them back.
Be happy, love lots, and give back. Take long walks, sing in the shower and rock your child to sleep. Forgive, forget and move forward, don’t stay stuck in the quagmire of the past – or as was so eloquently stated in King Fu Panda “There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the “present.” Try never to lash out with anger, but reach out with love.
Never put the cart before the horse, never look a gift horse in the mouth, always bet on the long shot and oatmeal is the perfect food.
Laugh long, loud and often. Find the joy in all that you do (it’s there, but sometimes it’s hidden). Get lots of sleep, drink plenty of water and eat cake!
And speaking of Cake, if it’s not too much to ask, may we please have a Christmas Tour in 2012? We kind of miss celebrating your day with you – live and in person………
Oh wait, I forgot something….. Happy Birthday Clay!!!! I sure hope a $50,000 grant for National Inclusion Project from Pepsi Refresh fits. Thanks for being one year older so that I can share my rambling thoughts – that aren’t necessarily directed to you, as much as a reminder, mostly to myself, of what is important in this life.
Love the "Birthday Musings" and the video.
Happy Birthday Clay enjoy your day.
We are all looking forward to seeing you in the Future.
Yeah – looking good for NIP too.
Thank you, Sue, for the beautiful birthday musings. It is the perfect post for today as we celebrate Clay's birthday. Each and every one of us should read it and read it again.
Welcome To Our World is a wonderful song and I love the way you weaved so many performances into one. That took a lot of work!!
Clay…Happy Birthday!! We all want to hear you sing again "SOON."
Happy Birthday Clay! We're looking forward to another wonderful year. I hope you get your birthday wish for NIP.
Thanks for the great thoughts and the fantastic video. Beautiful! 🙂
I've said it many times, Sue, I so admire everything you put out – you say it beautifully and you said
it all! We do need to read it again and then put it all into action!
I wish Clay a very Happy Birthday and also that he gets his Birthday Wish – a win for the NIP!
Thank you Sue – for all you do! Thank you Clay for all that you are and for all that you do!
See you in about a week – looking forward to the "song"!!!
Happy Birthday Clay!!!! May your day be filled with love and laughter.
Sue..thank you for your words. They are so important, and gives us that perspective that sometimes we overlook, or get too busy to stop and reflect. Loved the montage. I miss Christmas Clay, but I thank God that we have so much clack of it…For this was a treasure.
Happy Birthday, Clay!!
Beautiful montage Sue. I'm continuousy amazed at the talent and compassion of Mr Clay Aiken. Happy Birthday Clay…my wish for you today is that you have all the wonderful things that you so deserve.
Beautifully said, beautiful montage. Pass the tissues please. Happy Birthday Clay, you deserve peace, happiness, joy and most of all love.
Hoping for a perfect day for Clay Aiken on his birthday. Sue, love your words and the montage. Both gave me a good feeling.
Great montage!!! Hope his 33rd Birthday is filled with joy and happiness!!!
Hopefully when Clay does another Christmas album, Welcome to Our World will be on it. Thanks for the beautiful, thoughtful words musicfan, and to suerue for her montages. What talent!
Happy Birthday Clay I hope you get everything thing you want and deserve, a better person I think I've yet to find, keep being you 🙂
Thank you so much for these posts, they help me get through the day 🙂
Happy Birthday Clay Aiken.
Wonderful blog, and video….and here is to a Christmas tour next year (PLEASE!)
Great blog, Sue. Happy Birthday, Clay!
Happy Birthday Clay!!
Beautiful sentiments, Sue, and beautiful video of his stunning performance(s) of 'Welcome to Our World.'
I'd like to share this poem with everyone: Yesterday is already a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision; but today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Aiken, you have helped to give happy dreams and hopeful tomorrows to many, many people.
Thank you, Sue, Happy Birthday, Clay.
Happy Birthday Clay! I am excited and am looking forward to another year of being a fan of yours. You never disappoint. I hope you had an awesome day.
Sue- Thanks so much for the article-loved your many wise musings and the video-just beautiful!
I need tissues – You all had such touching words – MusicF., Sue, and CLAY are all special,
but the Fans are right up there – thanks for the "Happy Tears" and " Proud Tears", too!!!
Loved the Birthday Musings and especially the Video of "Welcome To Our World." That is such a beautiful song…that if Clay ever records another Christmas Album…I hope he includes WTOW. I have many happy and proud tears, for one Mr. Clay Aiken…and hope he had the best of the best Birthdays.