Winning Words 5/13/10
“Age merely shows what children we remain.” (Goethe) The Happy Birthday Song entertains children and the aged, as well. The music was composed in 1859 and the words were written by two teachers in 1893. It is said that no song is sung more frequently than “Happy Birthday to You.” Do you know of someone who’s having a birthday today? Why not call them up and sing “the song” to them? ;-) Jack

FROM ML IN ILLINOIS: i never miss a chance to sing "happy birthday " to anyone. i hear it several times a day as the children wash their hands. we have been taught to do that by the health dept. to insure we scrub long enough! from the moths of babes...charlie's going to kindergarten in the fall. he told me the other day that his babysitter, bobby, doesn't want him to grow up. i told him that he can't stop the growing up but he can stop the growing old. he replied, "that's kinda like you right, ms. mary?" FROM JACK: Today is daughter Jeanne's BD, She came to Grayslake when she was only a few week's old.

FROM MOLINER CF: Why not call them up and sing, "Happy New Day" to them? FROM JACK: The phone or the keyboard is in your hands. May 13 birthdays include.... Stephen Colbert, Dennis Rodman, Stevie Wonder, Ritchie Valens, Bea Arthur, Joe Louis and Sir Arthur Sullivan.

FROM GUSTIE MN: I did just that on Sunday. It was my son Craig’s 48th birthday. I find that hard to believe!
FROM JACK: ...which makes his mother even older.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: For quite a few years now, on each of my relatives' birthdays, I have typed out the Happy Birthday song to them in e-mails. That's probably kinder to them than my calling them up and trying to sing it. But when my eyesight goes, definitely I'll call and sing. FROM JACK: Sounds like a good idea.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: Isn’t it actions and words, rather than age that show our immaturity? I have not found maturity to be doled out equally in proportion to age.

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: That is something I frequently do...call and sing on people's b.days. Even if the answering machine takes the message, it is fun to hear it played back. I'm sure many, many, do this...I didn't know there was such a lapse from the time the melody was written until the words were composed...And such complicated lyrics, at that! Ha! When is YOUR b.day?! FROM JACK: Life can be fun if you look to make it that way. April Fool's Day is another favorite of mine. Jo Anne Worley has the same birthday as I do, tho she is ten years younger. Didn't you enjoy her on Laugh-In?