“Happy Birthday, Mom!”

Happy Birthday, Mother!

Yep… February 19 is here again – and we are again celebrating mom’s birthday in a tropical paradise (while everybody back home in Cleveland, Ohio, USA deals with temperatures below freezing).

We’re glad our vagabond lifestyle allows mom to escape from Cleveland – and America – every winter. She is always welcome to join us. And at her age, it is a blessing that she can.

In fact, this is the fifth winter that my mother has flown half-way around the world to meet up with us during the winter months. This time Malaysia. The last two winters have been in India. Before that, Philippines and Vietnam.

So how old is mom? Well, like many of us, mom doesn’t advertise her age. But as her son, I am proud to respectfully report that my amazing mother is 86 today! Shhhhhhh.

And while you might expect a lady her age would spend her time relaxing or shopping or getting massages or lounging by the pool or beach – mom will have none of that! She has hiking to do! The woman walks miles every day; for hours and hours – even in crazy heat and humidity.

Yes, at 86, my dear mother continues to walk all over God’s creation on a daily basis – taking in nature and history and culture and making conversation with all. Truthfully, I feel bad for not ‘escorting’ my mother more. But I just don’t have the stamina. Heck, I’m sweaty and tired if I walk 10 minutes to the beach for a beer.

Last night mom expressed joy that we will soon be wrapping up our current stay in Port Dickson, Malaysia because she’s “seen about all there is here”. Yes, in the past three weeks, she has been out wandering this whole seaside town on foot — and on the bus — and now she is bored.

In a few days we will take a ferry boat over to Sumatra, Indonesia. There I’m sure mom will be renewed in her zeal for exploring the forests and jungles and volcanoes and islands. I will make a more concerted effort to ‘keep up’. And as always, I expect my wife and I will be inspired by mom’s energy and spirit.

Of course, one of mother’s main destinations during her outings are Catholic churches. Even in Muslim or Hindu countries like Malaysia or India, mom usually finds a way to attend daily mass. She also spends a lot of time praying. In addition, she reads voraciously and is fully versed on news and current events around the world. Look around. More prayers are desperately needed.

To celebrate this special day we took mom out to dinner at a local restaurant near our Port Dickson Airbnb condo. Special treat; the place had icy cold AC. Plus, I arranged for a nearby bakery to deliver a cake exactly as we were finishing our meal. Mmmmmm chocolate.

The restaurant staff and a Malaysian family with three young kids joined in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ and we shared the big cake with them all. 

To finish the night we had a family scrabble game. Stunningly, the birthday girl scored a double triple word bingo – with a ‘Q’! A word worth 158 points! Mom, a lifelong scrabble addict, says she’s never seen such ‘luck’.

Way to go, mom! Happy Birthday and many more. I wonder where we will be for number 87?

As always, be thankful and generous; happy trails & more beer.

Life is NOW!

Thanks for reading, “Happy Birthday, Mom!”

A few more travel stories featuring Mom Diane:

• Meet the world’s most incredible traveling mom (a profile of Diane written in 2019)
• Mother’s Day with Diane during COVID in the Philippines (2020)
• Theo’s mom spent 10 months with us during COVID in the Philippines (late 2020)
• Mom Diane’s birthday in Rishikesh (2023)
• Whitewater rafting with Mom Diane in northern India (2023)
• Diane’s 85th birthday with us in Mahabilapuram, southern India (2024)