As many of you know, yesterday was a challenging day for my family and I.

Somewhere beneath the worry, the trip to Sloan Kettering and quite a few prayers, it was also my daughter’s birthday.

Oh great, Castain’s New Year’s Rah Rah is about Cancer and Birthdays?

Read on!

In spite of having both her parents absent for a few hours, she demonstrated the maturity to understand that sometimes it isn’t all about us. Something many of us adults need to grasp from time to time.

I’ve also decided that I want to come back as her in my next life. This newly anointed 13 year old had more Facebook Birthday wall posts than Ashton Kutcher has Twitter followers. Which brings us to something else . . .

She responded to each and every one of them and expressed gratitude.

So yesterday the teacher became the student and I had a wonderful opportunity to observe maturity and gratitude and more importantly . . .

Invite them along for the ride as I prepare for the a new year and a fresh opportunity to put that ding in the universe.

Oh, and perhaps next year I’ll have the maturity to finally let go of the 7 year old version of Daddy’s little girl!

Wishing you a new year that is nothing short of amazing!