R2 Thoughts for You Birthday Celebration – What Are We Celebrating?
A smile for all birthday anniversaries:-)
Today is my birthday. Actually, today is the anniversary of my birth. But, of course, we call this day a birthday, even though this isn’t really my “birth” “day.”
What about my question in the title? What are we celebrating when we celebrate a birthday? I find this question to be most interesting. Throughout my life, I have had a special feeling on my birthday. I don’t know how to describe it other than I feel like I deserve to be treated special. Maybe I have had expectations ingrained in my mind that resurfaces each June 29. Perhaps the mental feeling is something like the one I feel at Christmas. At Christmas, I feel like a celebration is in order and of course, Christmas is also a celebration of a birthday. Now please understand, I am NOT comparing myself to Christ. I am only trying to describe a feeling that I think a lot of people have on their birthdays. At least, I’m sure some do.
So, what are we celebrating on a birthday? I think, LIFE. Yes, life and the fact that we have lived another year, therefore satisfying one of our most fundamental drives – to live. When I was a young person going to a church school, I remember being taught about the fundamental drives we humans have. I remember four of them are: to eat, to drink, to reproduce and to live. If my memory is correct, killing oneself was considered bad because it went against human nature or meant doing something “unnatural.”
Is this what “over the hill” means? :-)
As I read over what I have written so far, I believe it is entirely too serious. Come on, Ron (R2), lighten up a little. Ok, that’s an excellent idea. Let’s have a few corny jokes. Since I was once a farm boy, these will be called: “pure corn from the farm jokes.” :-)
Q: What did one candle say to the other?
A: “Don’t birthdays burn you up?”
Don’t birthdays burn you up?:-)
Q: What did the big candle say to the little candle?
A: “You’re too young to go out.”
Q: What does a cat like to eat on his birthday?
A: Mice cream and cake!
Do you agree, that these are “pure corn from the farm?” :-)
I will end with a few quotes from those who have given us thoughts about birthdays and, to say the least, are a bit more insightful than mine.
There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval. – George Santayana
For all the advances in medicine, there is still no cure for the common birthday. – John Glenn
The really frightening thing about middle age is that you know you’ll grow out of it. – Doris Day
You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake. – Bob Hope
Thanks for the birthday visit.
R2 Thoughts for You 
I hope your birthday was a happy one!! <3
I agree with you about the feeling one gets on their birthday, and I also get that sensation of being almost entitled to be pleased that day. Perhaps because it is (to me) "special" somehow — it almost signifies MY DAY, which feels unique to me & my loved ones (because *I* am special?)
Yes, I think that is the point….birthdays help to us feel recognized and loved, regardless of the other people (hundreds, thousands, millions?) that share our birthdate with us…..it is usually our loved ones who remember, celebrate and congratulate that we share our birthday with.
Again wishing yours was wonderful, because you truly are special. :)
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