Getting Older

Today’s my birthday.

No big deal, really. Life’s actually too busy to pay much attention to it. It’s not
one of the “milestone” birthdays or anything – that’s next year. And for the most part, most of the time
“on the inside” I feel about half my age.

So the other day I do what many folks do, I suppose – a little ego-surfing. I looked
up who shares my birthday. Folks like Arnold Palmer, Charles Kuralt, Roger Maris, Stephen Jay Gould, Amy Irving, Colin Firth, Randy Johnson, Ryan Phillippe and so on.

Then I stumbled onto actress Kate Burton. Ms Burton shares my birthdate – born on the same month and date in the same year
I was.

Among many other parts in her career, Kate Burton currently plays Ellis Grey on the show Grey’s Anatomy.
Her character is the mother of the title character, Meredith Grey.

So why is all this notable?

The character, Ellis Grey, has Alzheimer’s.

Now, I’m nothing if not rational and logical – just ask my wife. And there’s no rational
or logical connection between a fictitious character having Alzheimer’s on a fictitious television show, who happens to be played by
an actress that happens to share my birthdate – and me.

And yet…