Why You Should Celebrate Birthdays

Courtesy of www.flickr.com and BK.

A few weeks ago, I had a birthday. I didn’t have a huge party.  Not even a cake.  I didn’t need to.  But I did celebrate.  I know some people don’t like to celebrate birthdays.  Some have even banned them and get upset if someone mentions it.  I disagree.  I do think they should be celebrated.  Why?

Our lives are crazy busy. We barely slow down for anything.  Birthdays can help do that.  They provide an opportunity to look back on the past year.  I think it’s good to hit the pause button and reflect periodically on life, to catalogue the successes and failures that have occurred.  More than that, reflect on how you may have grown as a person.

  • Birthdays are times to give thanks. The reflection usually leads to one thing. Thanksgiving. I live a blessed life. Taking time once a year to mark the occasion and to reflect on those blessings leads to a feeling of gratitude.
  • Birthdays are times to celebrate being alive. You may laugh at that. I don’t. I already know people who are my age or even younger who have passed away. Again, gratitude fills me to know that I’m still alive.
  • Birthdays are excuses to get together. I’m not talking about a big party. I’m talking about breaking bread with friends who I haven’t seen in a long time. This past birthday, we dined with a girlfriend of mine and her young child. I hadn’t seen both in a few months. It allowed us a good chance to get caught up with each other’s lives.

So what can you do to celebrate your birthday?

Whatever you wish.

  • Throw a party. Maybe you like to be the life of the party. Throw one. We adults are already blessed with so much, so specify no gifts. Or, if someone’s dying to give you one, you could ask that they make a donation to your favorite charity in your name.
  • Spend time with a friend. Use the date to get together with a friend for supper or coffee. Nothing warms a heart like time spent with an old friend while reminiscing and catching up.
  • Spend time with a loved one. Maybe you and your spouse haven’t spent a lot of time together thanks to your crazy life. Use this special day as an opportunity to curl up together and really talk, not as parents with children but as the lovers you became.
  • Reflect. Regardless of how you choose to spend your birthday, take the time to sit down and reflect over the past year. Celebrate your victories. Learn from your mistakes. And give thanks that God has chosen to keep you on this earth.
  • Think about the future. Look ahead as well. Think about where you want to go this coming year. Then think about ways to get there.

Regardless, birthdays are a time when we can step back from our very busy lives and reflect.

Question: How do you mark your birthdays?

This post does not mention any products. Therefore, I am not receiving any compensation for writing this post.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

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