Dear Dr. Wilde:

Blessings and best wishes to you on your 70th birthday! It's amazing how the time flies by. Although I will not be with you, I want you to know that I will be celebrating you and your life on your birthday and will be with you in spirit. I have quite a lot to thank you for, and I'm grateful to have the chance. You and Helen both were my greatest teachers in my young adulthood, I can not think back on that time without thinking of you both. You both freely gave to me knowledge that has enabled me to build my life, I am deeply grateful to you both for that. I will always be thankful for the confidence you had in me at that time, it gave me confidence in myself when I needed it the most.

I enjoy thinking back on our funny times as well. I have to apologize to you for telling you (making you) kiss the blarney stone, I didn't know that that you had to kiss it leaning over backwards!! And anyway, you were already blessed with the gift of gab. I will always remember one Valentines day when I was single and feeling particularly down, you gave Helen a gorgeous bouquet of red roses and then gave everyone else a single rose, it really cheered me up. I have so many memories like this of that time that mean a great deal to me.

I hope you enjoy your day and know that many people are thinking of you with respect and gratitude and wishing you all the best!

With Love and Respect,
Colleen