So, September contains the day that represents my birth day. This September I turned 40. I stopped caring about my birthday sometime in my late teens. I *DON’T* (WOW, what a missing word does to the meaning of a message.) poo poo other peoples birthdays, although I’m not one to go bananas over one, I’ll show up and bring a gift and drink a beer.
I’ve felt this way because I think every day should be celebrated as best you can. Again, I don’t go bananas and tell people to smile when they aren’t because today is such a great and beautiful day. But I just think a person shouldn’t get flowers only a certain day. They shouldn’t be reminded of their birth and what a joy it is that they are to have around.. but only on that day. The same goes for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, etc. I probably feel this way because I think the world has commercialized the meanings into profit centers instead of their true core moral.
I randomly buy my wife gifts, and we go out for her Birthday. My new son will be able to enjoy birthdays until he decides he doesn’t care about them because I grew up that way. I was pondering this issue of birthdays and celebrations for the sake of the day instead of the meaning behind it because friends, family and events have been coming and going while I have been just living my life.
Then I found someone else who feels the same way. As a lurking Redditor, the submission made me think about it some more:
How many of you Redditors feel no need to celebrate your birthday?
Apparently I’m not alone. I say that a lot as well, but back 25-20 year ago, I started writing a book called just that…”You are not alone.” while I was struggling with life decisions. I had actually placed an ad in a magazine to get people to write stories about what they are going through. The web wasn’t big back then. AOL was king. Bulletin Board Systems existed in the basement of a house somewhere so you had to dial up a computer using your 56k modem. Har har. I’m old. 40 Years Old.
I sometimes forget how old I am. I am reminded by people who care more about my birthday than I do. I got a few cards from family and friends who said “Happy 40th” and then I looked at the thread on Reddit and as a technophile the one that stuck out was from “PumpValve”:
“I HATE my birthday. I wish I could unsubscribe from them (without dying).”
I don’t hate my birthday. But I don’t need reminding that I’m getting older. It reminds me of things that I really don’t care to be reminded of. I’m one of those people who mull things over and try to solve the problem. Some problems can’t be fixed. Just written off. I’m not trying to be a downer, really. I just don’t want gifts, reminders, or annual announcements that someone out there cares enough to write me a card. I’m pretty casual about things. I don’t bother people with emails or phone calls, just to call. It isn’t that I don’t care about them, but why bother someone who is probably doing what I’m doing right now; living life.
If you want to talk, call me, write me, stop by. I’m cool with that. We can go have a beer, or play a game, or whatever [as long as I can bring Max, I do take care of him all day.]. But you can keep the cards, the gifts [send money to your favorite charity in your own name] and the reminders; make those reminders more about letting me know YOUR birthday is coming up if you care that much about birthdays. I’ll get you something and help you celebrate.
In the meantime… I’m unsubscribing from my birthday.