my friend, it was my sister's birthday Sunday with our parents, her sick husband, and my precious precious niece. little blonde curls, tiny nymph-like two year-old body, smile from the cosmos. lavender striped bikini top, velcro diaper buttery yellow sheet she wrapped herself up in, like my older sister, Jill, used to do! she stood on her bed, in the sunshine and watched herself in the mirror as she sang Happy Bird-day to her daddy, not his birthday over and over, luxuriating in the sounds she made if I can send you that picture, that joy that refreshing glimpse into her little world then maybe, just maybe, your bird-day will be happy