Ah, birthdays. Once we become adults we are taught to “dread” our birthdays and not make a big deal about them. Another year older, more wrinkles, more gray hair, what’s there to like about that? I’ll tell you what’s to like: you’re here.
I have friends who downplay their birthdays and make a point
to tell their family and friends to not make a big deal about it. Me on the other hand? I want to stand out in the street dancing and
singing, “It’s my birthday! I’m still
here!” I want to have a party with my
family and friends and celebrate life, my life and their life. We are here!
I loved birthdays as a kid because let’s face it, my mom
threw the best birthday parties. They
weren’t fancy, no pool or movie theater rental.
They were simple homegrown sleepovers where mom would make homemade pizza,
we’d play silly games that my mom made up and we’d all cram on the floor in our
sleeping bags and wake up to mom making waffles in the morning. I can recall every friend that was at those
parties, but I couldn’t tell you a single gift I was given, which is exactly how
I want to remember it.
As I got older, my mom stopped throwing me parties and I
jumped on the “it’s just a birthday” bandwagon.
No biggie, nothing to see here. But then, I got cancer. The first birthday after I beat cancer, an ad
for the American Cancer Society came on the TV with famous people singing Happy
Birthday. The idea behind the commercial
was, imagine a life with more birthdays and less cancer. I sat on my couch with my peach-fuzz hair
growing back and sobbed my eyes out. I
would never again, ever, take my birthday for granted.
I have a friend celebrating a birthday today. A friend who
spent the last 2 ½ months in intensive care fighting for his life and today, on his birthday, he is being discharged. I sent him a Happy Birthday message and he replied
back, “Best birthday ever!” I then told
him they will be the best from here on out.
I truly do believe they just get better with age.
I don’t expect my friends or family to throw me huge parties
on my birthday, in fact, I don’t expect them to do anything or even remember,
but that doesn’t mean I won’t walk around grinning like an idiot floating high
on the knowledge that I’m still here and I am HAPPY to be another year older.
When people get excited about your birthday and want to do
something for you—be happy! Don’t give
them the “I don’t do birthdays” or “let’s just get this over with” look. They want to do something because they love you
and they are happy you are on this earth.
We never know when our last birthday will be, so celebrate each one like
it’s the best one ever.
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| Me, smiling big on my 39th birthday |
