I received a reminder that my friend had a birthday today. Usually, a bunch of us would meet for coffee and cake to celebrate, but that won’t happen.

What could I do? I’m not big on singing the birthday song and I already sent a card, but there should be more I could do. I thought and thought. While going into a drawer for saved seeds, I found balloons leftover from a grandchild’s birthday.

The first balloon I tried to blow up, popped. It had a weak spot. The other three inflated without issue.

My stake for the balloons was an old clothes hanger I stretched out.

I rang the doorbell (but I didn’t run away). We visited a bit from a distance. It felt good to talk to someone in person, even if I was in the yard and she was in her doorway.

Other people are reaching out to family and friends in creative ways, too. A lady I know is heading over to do a sidewalk chalk drawing for her friend’s 80th birthday. Now that’s being creative.

Copyright © 2020 by Susan Manzke, all rights reserved