Today was/is my 27th birthday. I am by blessed to have lots of fantastic people in my life who sent me messages in a variety of ways expressing their love.
But some things did not go so well. Mostly silly little things, but enough of them built up that I felt very discouraged and ignored (in a specific setting, again I know there were people in my social life who sent me much appreciated love and wishes, and I do not mean to demean or belittle that).
Part of it is that people start to see birthdays as frivolous and inconsequential as time goes on. But I still feel they are really important, and want to celebrate them.
Why? As a teenager I dealt with a lot of serious depression. I was suicidal. I attempted suicide more than once, but luckily never completed it. Maybe they were just cries for attention, but in me they were real. The pain was real. The not feeling able to deal with it was real.
But here I am. I am happy, and loved, and so very glad to be alive. And every year that I continue to be alive is worth celebrating. The mere fact that it has been another solar cycle and I am still on this Earth is worth acknowledging. The fact it is another year where I have not felt suicidal at any point is worth celebrating vibrantly!
That is why I think birthdays are important. After a year with a lot of death or near-death in my family I want to celebrate another year that I am still alive and living. I want to look back on the year and those that have been lost and remember them. I want to look forward to another year to come filled with experience, both good and bad.
Everyone has something to celebrate on their birthday. Everyone has won some victory by making another lap around the sun. And everyone deserves to feel acknowledged and special on their birthday.
I hope I can make more of an effort this year to make all of those in my life feel more special on their birthdays. Because birthdays are definitely important.
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