Yesterday I realized that I’ve now experienced 61 April 19ths in my life.

Thought of that way, it really doesn’t seem like that many, does it?  It certainly makes me want to live each one of these days as fully as possible.  No pressure … but today I find myself wanting to be more mindful … what am I doing with my 61st April 20th?  Definitely don’t want to fritter it away.

Thinking back and trying to remember, I can say the following about my April 19ths so far:

• 6 of them were spent on East Benedict Avenue in Oakmont;
• The next 12 I was living on East Park Road in Llanerch – both in Havertown, PA;
• After that, came 4 April 19ths in Swarthmore, PA – bringing me up to age 22.
• The next 2 years, I believe, were back at Park Road, after my mother died, although I lived in Philly for part of that time, too.
• Next I lived my April 19ths in Ardmore, Rosemont, Ardmore again, Narberth, Manayunk and (briefly) Havertown;
• In 1985 my April 19th was lived on West Road in Canterbury;
• 1986 and 87 that day was lived on Wyven Road;
• Then Abbott Road for 1988-90; and
• From 1991 to today, my April 19ths have been lived here on Baptist Road.

Between 1964 and 1980, many of those April 19ths would have involved either a lacrosse game or lacrosse practice.  Down in Pennsylvania, the buds would all be bursting and spring would be in full sway!

Here in NH, between 2000 and 2010, it’s quite possible that April 19th could have involved attending a track meet.  (And in NH chances are it would be raw and wet … with the buds still making up their minds as they shivered through the latest brief snowfall.)

Easter fell on April 19th in 1981, 1987 and 1992 and 2011.  Interesting that, prior to those dates, it hit the 19th in 1908 – and that was it for the 20th century.

The first of many April 19th Boston Marathons was held on April 19, 1897 … but I have never spent one of my 61 April 19ths running in it.

Can I specifically recall anything that I have actually done on April 19th?  Hmmm … not without checking back to jog my memory, that’s for sure.  I’ve checked Wikipedia, and it appears that there’s been an awful lot going on on April 19th – much of which I’ve not been aware of … but some of which I (sadly) have – like the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.

Last April 19th was a Friday … and I went to watch Mo in action on the pitch in a match between KUA and Proctor in Lacrosse.  It was an outing with WeatherDewd on a brisk evening – and we had a very LONG wait at a funky little place on the way home for a late supper, as I recall!  (This, I gleaned by checking my calendar … although the slightly annoying dinner part is straight out of my memory.)

So, what’s my point?  That time is precious and limited, of course.  But also something about how the river of my life flows along through these days with billions of other lives – all particular and precious – all experiencing events large and small and remembering (or not).

So how many April 19ths have you had?  And what do you remember about them?

Yeah … and what will you remember about today?

PS  For your listening pleasure … Pink Floyd on Time (thanks for the suggestion, Bob)!