"Birthdays"

While sitting in my office yesterday somewhere between Indiana and Alabama I had the opportunity to consider "Birthdays". Mine was yesterday in fact. I have reached the age of 57 and I have many things to consider. But, to begin with I thought about the very idea of having birthday celebrations.

I mean first of all why do we celebrate birthdays? Other than those that we are required to observe to meet certain legal requirements the rest are not very popular. Like in order to start our education, get a drivers license, think we're old enough to leave home, get married, vote or borrow money you have to have a certain number of Birthdays.

What do we mean by telling someone "Happy Birthday" are we glad they had one, or "happy" they had another one? In reality from our first birthday on we are working toward some conclusion to life in this current chemical composition. I think we all have some idea as to how many "Happy Birthdays" we're going to have. For fun I did one of those silly Internet deals where you can project you "Dead Day" based on lifestyle inputs. Now we know that these things are based on statistical charts using everyone that has passed away with similar lifestyle choices. Mine is November 7, 2026. That's prior to my 74th "Happy Birthday". If you believe that crap do you think my 73rd will be "Happy"? Besides this disease, that we are going to defeat, there are a lot of things that could change that stupid clock. Right?

After all why do we count anniversaries of birthdays anyway? Keeping in mind what I said about the legal requirements we have to meet ,what's the point? Each successive one brings new stages of regret and little promise other than that we may have another one. I mean think about it. You have your 30th "Happy Birthday" thinking gosh I'm getting old. I'm not 20 something anymore. Then you hit 40 thinking gosh I'm half way somewhere but, where is it? I'm going to buy a red sports car to prove I still can... be something. Then 50 comes. Damn I'm old and stuff has quit working. Have I "made it" in life like "they" say I should have by now. Boy hit 60 and then what? You start thinking about retirement, what is retirement I can't afford it anyway. Crap 70 comes along. Now you want to know what time the "early bird special starts". You talk incessantly about all you illnesses and what doctors appointments you have next week. You hope there will be enough money to "get in the box" safely. Etc....

Would we be better off to stop being reminded how old we're getting by doing "Happy Birthday"? Do they really become more unhappy because we're measuring them against that preconceived last birthday celebration. If I didn't know how old I was yesterday then I probably feel less pressure to make another one before they run out

Well I was 57 yesterday and there's a whole lot more behind me than ahead of me. I have left a lot of regrets and pleasures behind. It's up to me now to make the best of how many are left. There are certainly fewer to go so every one needs to be "Happier" than the last. I need to love harder, care more, stop sweating the small stuff and gain more patience. I will be "Happy" to celebrate them with my friends and my family!