a Lifetime of Memories, and a Heart Full of Yesterday
58 Tomorrow… But I'd Give Anything for One More Yesterday
November 5, 2026
Tomorrow I turn 58.
Fifty-eight freaking years old.
And I'm not going to lie, today is hard.
I've been sitting here thinking about tomorrow and wondering how in the hell I got here so fast. It seems like yesterday I was a teenager, hanging out with my friends, going roller skating, and looking forward to whatever the weekend might bring.
Everyone says age is just a number, and I know growing older is a privilege. But that doesn't mean I have to love every minute of it.
I miss being that teenage girl who spent her weekends at Riverside Arena, skating around with her friends while the music played. I miss hanging outside until it got dark, laughing, talking about boys, and making plans that probably changed a dozen times before the night was over.
We didn't have cell phones or social media. We didn't need them. We knew where to find each other, and somehow we always managed to have a good time.
Those summers seemed endless, and turning 18 couldn't come fast enough. We wanted our freedom, our own cars, and the chance to experience everything life had to offer.
If only we'd known how quickly those years would disappear.
Then came the nights at Harpo's in Detroit.
God, I loved those nights.
Getting ready with my friends, blasting our favorite music, deciding what to wear, and heading out to see whatever band was playing. Walking through those doors, feeling the energy, hearing the music, and being surrounded by people who loved rock and roll as much as we did.
We weren't worried about tomorrow. We were too busy enjoying the night.
Some of those friends are still in my life and I'm thankful for that. But they live almost 4 hours away and I miss being able to see them whenever I wanted. I miss the laughter, the inside jokes, and the kind of friendships where you could be completely yourself.
Others are no longer here.
There are people who once called me every year to wish me a happy birthday whose voices I'll never hear again, one in particular Tom Crews. Friends who shared some of the best times of my life, who are now part of the memories I carry.
I think about the loves I've lost, too. The people who once made my heart race, who were part of different chapters of my life, and who helped shape the person I became.
Some relationships simply ran their course. Others ended in ways I never expected. But every now and then, a song comes on and suddenly I'm right back in that moment, remembering a face, a voice, or a feeling I haven't experienced in years.
That's the funny thing about music. It can take you somewhere you haven't been in decades without ever leaving the room.
And then there's my mom.
I miss her more than words can explain.
I wish I could pick up the phone tomorrow and hear her voice wishing me a happy birthday. I wish I could tell her what's going on in my life, laugh with her, or just talk about absolutely nothing.
There are some things you never stop needing your mom for, no matter how old you get.
This birthday will also be my first without my beautiful beagle, Vic.
My sweet boy used to dance with me. Anyone who knows me knows how much music means to me, so having my beagle dancing along with me was one of those little things that made my heart happy.
I would give anything for one more dance with him.
And it will be another birthday without my Pugbug, too. Those little souls become such a huge part of our lives, and when they're gone, the house and our hearts feel different.
I'm grateful I still have my beagle butt, Buster. He's here to keep me company, make me laugh, and give me that unconditional love only our four-legged family members know how to give.
Then, of course, there's the whole getting older part.
The wrinkles, the gray hair, the weight gain, the teeth that need fixing, and looking in the mirror wondering where that younger version of myself went.
Inside, I'm still that rock-and-roll girl who wants to turn the music up, head to a concert, and stay out all night.
My body, however, occasionally has other opinions.
And now 60 is right around the corner.
Seriously, when the hell did that happen?
I remember thinking people in their fifties were old. Now I'm almost 58 and wondering how thirty or forty years managed to pass in what feels like the blink of an eye.
But I think what has me so emotional today isn't really the number.
It's everything that comes with it.
Tomorrow, I don't need gifts, a party, a fancy dinner, or anyone making a big fuss over me.
I just wish I could see my kids.
I wish I could sit with the friends I miss, laugh about the stupid things we did when we were younger, and enjoy being together again.
And I wish, even if only for a moment, I could hear the voices of those who are no longer here.
That's what I want.
Not things. Not money. Not some elaborate celebration.
Just the people I love.
Because somewhere along the way, birthdays stopped being about what I might get and started being about who I wish could be there.
I miss myself back then, too.
Not because I don't like who I am today, but because I miss how it felt to have my whole life ahead of me. I miss that freedom, that excitement, and the innocence of not knowing what the years would bring.
I know I can't go back, and I know there are still memories waiting to be made. I have my children, friends I love, Buster, and music, which has been the one constant through every chapter of my life.
But today, I'm allowing myself to feel a little sad about turning 58.
I don't need anyone to tell me that age is just a number or that I should be grateful for another year. I am grateful.
I'm just missing a lot of people and a lot of years today.
And I think that's okay.
So if there's one thing I would tell that teenage girl skating around Riverside Arena, or that young woman getting ready for another night at Harpo's, it would be to enjoy every damn minute.
Don't rush through life trying to get to the next chapter.
Take the pictures, hug your friends, tell people you love them, and dance with your dog.
Because you never know which ordinary moment will become a memory you'd give anything to experience again.
Tomorrow I'll be 58.
But today, I just wish I could turn back time.
Until next time,
Peace, Love, and Loud Music
Mickey
Comments