5 Comments
User's avatar
Amy Haddow's avatar

Beautiful piece of writing, and Happy Birthday! (Even if I find my own birthday little reason to celebrate, at least more than any other day I’m privileged to be alive and in AK.)

Expand full comment
Ed Schoenberger's avatar

Happy Birthday, Mike, well said..... It has been amazing to me how now that the 80's are upon me I have been thinking, as you reflected, my 19 year old self and what I was about. That, after years of never particularly been particularly concerned with looking in that rear view mirror - whether the objects were closer or further than they appeared. Maybe because I was so unconscious of what I was really all about back then, it was just more comforting not to think about 19 or even 29 at all. Anyway, I appreciated your piece very much. Maybe this is a time when one way or another when it is obvious that the story is in its final chapters that it occurs to us to think about what it was "all about" and what it "all meant." Net, net, I am glad we have managed to connect again and think about the time when 19 was a moment that was still a few years to come rather than a lifetime ago. Best to you. If I am ever back in NY again, I hope it will be ok if you are on the top of my list to visit. Best to you. Ed

Expand full comment
Michael Saltz's avatar

Thanks, Ed.

What was it all about? An inevitable question at some point in our lives, if not many. I tried to answer some of it in The Winding Road. But that hardly covered all of what it was about. Some of it will never be put on paper, at least for public consumption. Or, at least, not in memoir form, although some of it may appear in fiction. Who knows?

Regardless, I hope you make it back east sometime, and would obviously love to see you.

Expand full comment
Paula Shapiro's avatar

Hi Michael,

Happy Birthday my friend! Thank you for your article on those moments of life.

I’m almost 10 years behind you but appreciate your perspective.

Enjoy blowing out all those candles. 🎂

Happy, happy! XoxoP

Expand full comment
Michael Saltz's avatar

Thanks, Paula.

Expand full comment