ad astra per aspera

Today I turned 33, my first birthday since Chris’ death.  My 32nd birthday he was in-patient at MDA in Houston.
I’m in the Impromptu Cafe in the Kansas Union on campus.  I just ate one of today’s specials, the Guinness pork chop.  After I finished my calculus test at 11 I decided to walk over here and treat myself (read that as”treat yo self” in the voice of Tom Haverford from Parks&Rec).
They are playing an album of k.d. Lang’s and I mentioned to the waitress that it was my birthday so I thought I’d indulge myself.  As k.d. belted out her cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” two of the wait staff brought over a dish of chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and a single lit candle.  It was so damn touching it made me cry.