We slept in, I got to see Star Wars, I found out that our cat, Gracie, CAN get off the roof of our house all by herself (we rescued her with a ladder yesterday) and I got to have three meals with my beautiful wife. All that was great! In addition to all of that greatness, I have had an incredible walk back through my 63 years — or at least the ones I can remember. I have spent a great deal of time this afternoon reading over 700 emails, Facebook posts, text messages. What a trip!

As I read each birthday wish, I conjured up that person’s face, remembered how I know them and I tried to savor the memory of the significance they’ve played in my life. Among them were people I’ve known since first grade at Britt David Elementary, the first girl I ever seriously kissed, friends from my old neighborhood, people with whom I’ve worked, neighbors in Huntsville, Ala. and Wichita, Kan., a doctor who saved my life, another doctor who is helping keep me alive and all four of my fantastic sons. I’ve been sung to by my sweet parents and dear friends Marquette and Rick McKnight and Laurel and Fred Blackwell. It was a very, very special birthday and I want to thank everyone who stopped for a moment in their day to take the time to make my day enjoyable beyond belief.