Happy birthday to my friend, Kim Cromwell, who is much older than me

August 3, 2009 in Uncategorized

Today is Kim Cromwell's 50th birthday. Bless her heart, she's so much older than me, idn't it a shame? (For the unintiated, this is an all purpose "insult" used in the Southern part of the U.S., using the following unerring formula:

Part A = "Bless her/his heart"

Part B = insert insult, and

Part C = "Idn't it a shame?"

Where, in this case, "insult" = "love.")

Kim is such a spectacular human being. She and her brother Robert contributed art to Life is a Verb, she dresses up like all manner of things and marches in parades, and I've known Kim for years though I think we've only spent a few hours together in person over all those years… She is a connector, a human being whose friendships span decades, an advocate for the rights of all human beings, and I'm privileged to call her friend.

Happy 50th, Kim! Thanks for paving the way into this new fabulous decade.

The artwork accompanying this post arrived this week from Kim, her contribution to my 50th birthday paper quilt. In it, she has juxtaposed the two of us as children, our childhoods in different places and yet both with fathers dead far too young. My deepest thanks, Kim. I will cherish it.

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

5 comments to " Happy birthday to my friend, Kim Cromwell, who is much older than me "


ava diamond

August 3, 2009 AT 8:09PM

I love Kim Cromwell! I, too, have known her for years, from our days at Digital, but have spent little time in her presence. She rocks!

Kathy

August 4, 2009 AT 1:52PM

love the piece! happy birthday, kim.

Kim

August 4, 2009 AT 9:06PM

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me….

*** What a gift! ***

Thank you, Patti!!!

This turning 50 thing is actually pretty grand!!!

xoxox

Bob Cromwell

August 4, 2009 AT 11:50PM

Kim has a wicked sense of humor and the ability to deliver succinct organization and happy optimism to her clients, her friends and her brothers. I think she is a wise, “old” soul; which may explain whey she has more gray hairs than her brother, even though he’s seven years her senior.

Peggy

July 18, 2010 AT 2:17AM

Motivational speaker from Seattle, Jennifer James, would call the title of your post: “A slug in a tuxedo”.