Happy 50th Birthday, Ocean!

October 24, 2008 by ocean1025

Yup… that’s right, folks!

Yours truly has reached a milestone in her life – I was born on October 25, 1958 and thus will be celebrating my 50th birthday this Saturday. Fifty years… wow. That’s five decades, half a century.

It’s been a pretty interesting 50 years. I think there have been more changes in society over this time than any other period in modern history – certainly so here in America. We’ve seen great strides made in technology and transportation, medicine and media, communications and culture. We’ve witnessed the changing roles of African-Americans, women, and people with disabilities in our society. We’ve observed both the Deaf Community and the Pagan Community change too… taking advantage of all the advances which have been made in the past five decades.

I’ve changed over those years also. I’ve grown from an enfant to a toddler to a teenager to a twenty-one year old having her first legal drink to a thirty-something year old settling into her career to a forty-something year old struggling with “mid-life crisis” to now turning fifty. It seems that as I get older, the only thing that speeds up is time. But if time is a thief, time also leaves something in exchange… experience.

I am the culmination of all the experience I have accumulated over the past fifty years. While I might be older, hopefully I’m also a bit wiser.

However, I must confess that I’m tempted to remember something that Robert Heinlein – the science fiction writer who wrote about Lazarus Long – had to say about aging:

Contrary to popular opinion, age does not bring wisdom. It merely changes simple stupidity into arrogant conceit.

I wonder at what age that sense of arrogance and conceit begins.

But at the same time, I also like to think of something else that Heinlein’s Lazarus Long character said…

Although long-life can be a burden, mostly it is a blessing. It gives time enough to learn, time enough to think, time enough not to hurry, time enough for love.

There you have it, folks.

So slice yourself a piece of birthday cake, pour yourself a goblet of mead, and help yourself to one of those edible seashells. Know that I love you, and I’m glad you made time enough to help me celebrate my first fifty years.

I hope you’ll stick around for the next fifty.

Posted in Archives #3 A Deaf Pagan Shares, Art & Literature, Deaf/Hearing Relations, Deaf/Pagan Relations, Food, Universal Issues, Women | 16 Comments

16 Responses

on October 24, 2008 at 12:49 pm | Reply QuinnCreative

Happy Milestone! Happy Birthday! You are about to enter a time of discovery and joy that is amazing. May every day unfold before you in wonder and amazement! –Q
on October 24, 2008 at 1:43 pm | Reply Ghostie

Happy Birthday Osh! 🙂
~Ghostie
on October 24, 2008 at 2:08 pm | Reply Nydia

Happy Birthday, Osh!!! What a great date, I love birthdays, being alive is good (hhmmm… next year I’ll be 40!). I wish you all the beautiful things in life you deserve. Love, health, strength… Have a wonderful day tomorrow!

Kisses from Nydia.
on October 24, 2008 at 4:42 pm | Reply Bridget

Happy Birthday, Ocean! Many blessings to you on this most wonderful occasion! =)
on October 24, 2008 at 5:09 pm | Reply Robin

Hi Virginia,
Life’s a Beach and you are living proof! The 50’s are a marvelous decade–much more settling than the 40’s. Perspective is a wonderful gift. Wishing you all the best that life has to give and all the peace of your favorite ocean.
Robin
on October 24, 2008 at 6:52 pm | Reply Teresa

From one Scorpio to another – Happy 50th Birthday Virginia!

Loved your post – great food for thought, as usual.

Teresa
on October 24, 2008 at 9:37 pm | Reply witchpi

Oh, wow ! Nice and beauitful cake ! Of course, Happy 50th Birthday , Ocean !!!! I love to look at the sea stuffs on cake.
Wonderfully !!!! Have a good day, tomorrow. And smile ! May Goddess Brigid bless you on your special day !
Witchpi
on October 24, 2008 at 11:30 pm | Reply dam

Yippee!

Now you are officially a child again! Run free….be naked…act like a looney. You have carte blanche to behave insanely.

On a side note – let’s talk offline about your website. I love it’s design and simplicity. I don’t like mine. I have no control over it…confusing…can we chat about how to do one?
on October 25, 2008 at 9:59 am | Reply shoe

Hippo Birdie to ewe
Hoppy Burpday too yooo
Happy Birthdaaaaaay deeeeer Tonic
Heppy 50th toooooooo yooooooooou

And, ohhhhhhhhhh, so many more!!

Hope your day is fun and your year terrific!

shoe
on October 25, 2008 at 10:49 am | Reply GaylenEagle

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!
on October 25, 2008 at 4:53 pm | Reply sunny

Happy Birthday Ocean!!! Here’s to you (raises glass)…
on October 26, 2008 at 3:45 pm | Reply Wolf Wind

If you run Naked in San Fran. make sure it’s on a sunny day. That bay wind can be biting. LOL
on October 26, 2008 at 6:26 pm | Reply Mama Kelly

Oh Ocean …. Happy Birthday!!! May the year ahead be blessed beyond measure
on October 26, 2008 at 7:27 pm | Reply Ruth

Happy 50th, Ocean!!!! It’s a great decade and you will enjoy it!!! Best of luck in sunny California, too!!!! I am hoping it is everything you hope for and so much more!!! love to you!!!! ruth
on October 27, 2008 at 12:39 pm | Reply Wayne C. Mnich

Hoppity Burpday to you – to you – to you and may you have many more burpdays to come! So sorry we did not have a chance to meet at a bristo in B’town when you were home. Just wanted to wish you “oceans of luck and oceans of love” as you embark on a new adventure. I, myself, will turn 70 next week. -Wayne
on November 3, 2008 at 5:21 am | Reply Matt

Who is Ocean? Is that a real name? What’s the full name? I’m trying to find out who created this website. I found this website by accident when I was researching on whether it’s possible to conduct hyponosis on Deaf individuals who use ASL primarly.

Thanks!

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MEET OCEAN

Ocean is the creator & manager of this blog. Born deaf into an all-hearing family, she was raised oral and attended hearing schools. Ocean began learning sign language at the ripe old age of 16, and after meeting a Deaf man began her own journey through Deafhood. She graduated from Gallaudet College (now University), and has held positions both within & outside of the field of Deaf Services.

Ocean has been a practicing Pagan for nearly 40 years, and is an ordained High Priestess of the Wiccan tradition. She considers herself "an eclectic witch," with a primary focus on Celtic Spirituality, but an interest in many different areas. A skilled tarot reader, she once donated her services to help raise funds for a Domestic Violence agency. She has also done workshops on aromatherapy, herbalism, & Paganism for the Deaf Community.

Currently Ocean is offering presentations where she discusses the merger of her spirituality as a Pagan with her identity as a Deaf woman, and also teaches workshops on Signs for Pagan Spirituality. Please contact her if you would be interested in sponsoring such a presentation or workshop.

As a passionate advocate, Ocean often speaks out on the need for greater access for Deaf people (Pagan or otherwise) - interpreters, captioned videos, CART, etc...and works to build bridges between the Deaf & Hearing communities.

She lives on the banks of the Ohio River with a grumpy feline wizard named Gandalf, and is currently working on a book discussing the merger of her identity as a Deaf person with her spirituality as a Pagan.

To contact Ocean,
you may email her at oshginva@gmail.com
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