It’s so easy to overlook things in our lives and take for granted those who love and care for us. We get so caught up in whatever the drama of the day is. A bad day at work, someone cutting you off in traffic, the garbage man skipping your can; all of these have the ability to take an otherwise good day and completely tip us over.
Besides the daily struggles we all find ourselves facing, there are other difficulties/concerns/or just plain worrying points that can also blind us from what we really have. Take something as simple as a birthday.
When we were young, we couldn’t wait until our birthdays would come around. It was that one day a year where you were made to feel special. From the moment you woke up until the final minutes of the day it was yours. At breakfast mom would make your favorite things and give you a kiss on the forehead telling you happy birthday and talking up all that was in store for that day.
If it was a school day it usually meant mom coming to the school to bring a plate of cupcakes or some other treat for the class. You were the most popular kid if only for a day. After school meant a birthday party surrounded by all of your friends. Games and a cake and usually some really cool gifts. It was the perfect day.
Funny, as we have gotten older birthdays seem to have gotten a lot less exciting. Now we find ourselves struggling to get out of bed in the morning. Overnight somehow our joints have worn out and we are met with creaks and cracks instead of birthday wishes.
Mom no longer comes to the office with a plate of cupcakes for all of your co-workers and you are not sure you were ever the most popular employee. About the only gift you get at work is another assignment stacked on top of all the other work you haven’t finished yet.
It’s kind of depressing when you think about how things changed. But do they have to be that way? Can we recapture some of that magic we felt when we were kids? The older we get the more that question haunts us. This year I challenged myself to try and see if it would work.
My birthday this year landed on a Saturday. No worrying about getting up and heading to the office or a day filled with endless conference calls. Instead I woke up heading downstairs to make my own favorite breakfast that I gladly shared with the family.
Instead of a party filled with games like pinning the tail on the donkey or spin the bottle my party was a Spring Training game hoping to pin a run on the opposing pitcher or spinning the bottle to see who would be pinch hitting in the eighth inning.
Unfortunately, my mom is no longer around to share my special day, but dad is still here. We spent the day as a family reminiscing about all those birthdays decades ago and how special mom made them. We talked about the gifts and the games and the dinners spent together.
Maybe birthdays aren’t to be dreaded and can still be magical. You just have to get in the right frame of mind and remember what is really important; sharing this date with those you love.
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