She has taken on average 815,731,200 breaths as of today.  Every breath has gone in and out of a person that today celebrates her ninety-seventh birthday.  Every breath has contributed to a life lived well.  She has been there breathing through the good times, the fun times and the hard times.  There was a breath taken when her two younger brothers were each born.  A breath taken with excitement when her to be husband first kissed her.  A breath sighed heavy when her mother passed, when her husband passed and when her first brother passed.

With every breath has come and gone a lot of friends, a lot of family times, a lot of working hours, some hard times, disappointing times, a lot of love, but a lot of life.  I once told my great aunt she is living so long her friends who have passed on before her are going to start thinking she died and went to hell, for she is not with them in heaven yet.  She came back with, “My bags are packed, but I’m just not ready to leave yet.”  You could always count on my great aunt to have a zinger or two to share.

Never having children of her own, she has treated my mother as a daughter, and my sister and me as her grandchildren.  Believe it or not, she still lives alone in her own home.  She is an inspiration to all who know her.  Her body may be putting in overtime, but her mind is still sharp.  She loves to relive and share the moments when her breaths were associated with happy times.

So you see “life” is in every breath.  Make the most of each one.  Every breath comes from God, from when He breathed into Adam’s nostrils, to the first one He gave you.  Happy 97th birthday Great Aunt Betty!  I love you.