Happy Birthday!

Someone has a birthday every day. Is that someone you? The importance of celebrating someone's birth is underestimated, I think. Especially when a person gets older. People are important and valuable, so celebrating the day they were born is something that should happen.

Young children usually celebrate with birthday parties at their home or at another venue. Often, they are very over the top, elaborate celebrations with bounce houses, entertainment, lavish decorations, and many gifts. Why not? What a fantastic way to help children feel special and valuable.

As people get older, they often do NOT want to celebrate as each year brings them closer to an age they might not want to be. Perhaps they want to feel young again and turning 30 or 40 might create a sense of "feeling old" in them. They just want to forget and not to be reminded of the fact that they are turning another year older.

But why?

Why does getting older feel so "awful" for some people? Perhaps they think they will not be able to do some of the things they used to do. Perhaps they think they will become fragile and have no purpose. Those are sad thoughts and feelings. My hope is that if you feel that way, you can think about it in a different way. Instead of thinking what you might NOT be able to do, think about what you CAN do better. There is always something better that comes from getting older. More wisdom, more experience, and if you have young children, more time as they grow up and move on.

I think each year needs to be celebrated. Every moment of every day is another moment in time that we will never have again. Perhaps one year was especially terrible-i think 2020 can be included in that-but, I truly believe there is still one small piece of every year that can be redeemed.

So, I choose to celebrate every year. Even if it is just a "happy birthday to me" moment. Nothing fancy or special. And, I would love for you to do that, too.