This question is hard for me to answer because I would love to give a “Sweet 16”, or “Happy 21st” or even “Over the Hill” party as an example. My mother gave me a little party when I was 6, I remember that. Otherwise, our family never made big issues over birthdays. Perhaps because we are not many, and we live far from each other.

But, one birthday I won’t forget. I was 13, and that was a bad year for me. My mother wasn’t well. She suffered Major Depression, and had been in the hospital for shock treatment, and was on those awful pills that kept you so doped up in the ‘60’s.

I was afraid my mother was going to die. I remember one afternoon I was following her down the hallway and she collapsed in front of me. I managed to catch her before she hit the floor and got her to my bed. She was cold and shaking, shaking. She didn’t respond to me. I tried putting a wet wash cloth on her head. No matter how many blankets I put on her, she kept saying she was so, so cold.

Everybody was welcome at the Salvation Army Sunday School, they held it Sunday afternoons. If you went to a different church in the morning, you could go in the afternoon. An old family friend used to take me when I was little, and I still went because I had friends there. It was my birthday, but I thought nothing of it.

After Sunday School, the Superintendent called me over to say wait a while, and to come into the back room. When I went in, there were all the children. She had baked enough cupcakes for all, and made plenty of lemonade. and they all sung “Happy Birthday” to me.

I have never forgotten. This wonderful lady (in fact, she just passed on a few months ago aged 94), knew my family situation (it was a small town), and knew my mother suffered and I was worried about her. She wanted to see me smile and knew I was not forgotten.

I never call out anybody here, but I will do so now.

God Bless You in Heaven Mrs. Dorothy Esdaille.