I hope you are ok Rebecca! Thank you for sharing this ❤️ You are absolutely right, I agree with everything. Every single day is such a gift. And birthdays are the perfect reminder of it!
Hi! A fellow cancer here, and I agree - the little things on a birthday make it so much more special for us. My bestfriend/roommate wrote me a card for mine, and I burst into tears at the gesture. I also feel pessimistic about my birthday, and yet am always surprised at the things my friends and family do for me on that day. It’s a beautiful thing to celebrate ourselves for at least one day out of the year!
this is an interesting post to me as someone who has always been a person who tried very hard not to care about my own birthday. this past july is the first birthday I've had since like age 9 maybe that didn't feel at best like a chore to navigate. i went to my friend's house and hung out for a few hours while we talked and i crocheted. I can't remember ever being excited for my birthday, if anything I've anticipated it with dread. But over the last few years I've been rewriting that narrative and its been a gradual project but I actually did celebrate it this year and had a great time. and I'm tentatively looking forward to next years birthday as well ☺️
Happy birthday darling!!! That is wonderful to read! I am sorry you had bad birthdays in the past and it's exciting to be on this new journey. Yes to rewriting our stories!!!
I don’t care how old I get, I will always celebrate my birthday. It is one day in a year i truly celebrate my life and that I am alive. After all, it’s a privilege to get older.
I love birthdays! I have several girlfriends who never want to celebrate theirs, and that makes me sad - I always say that your birthday is the one day a year that’s all about YOU. I take a vacation day on my birthday every year; even if I’m not doing anything or going anywhere, working is not what I want to do on my special day, lol. Completely agree that we should celebrate our enduring existence, even if it’s in a small way!
So happy you celebrate your existence ALWAYS! ❤️ I love that you take a vacation day, hell yes! It should be mandatory for anyone that is employed haha :)
Love this post! My birthday was on the 9th and it was a long day at work, got into a car accident (all is well though), and I was feeling pretty down overall. And yet even though my family and other friends are not nearby, they still made an effort to make me feel special and loved and appreciated. It’s a beautiful thing! I don’t usually make a big deal about my birthday and never specifically plan anything (silly me, I am going to change that next year) and I have been feeling so low the past couple of months. So, to have everyone show up for me like that made me think “Wow, I have some pretty awesome people in my life. And it’s cool that they choose to be my friend as well.” I love how you put it - we don’t need to prove we are worthy of celebrating, our existence is truly enough.
I am so sorry about your accident darling and I hope you are ok now. It made me smile that the day turned around for you and that you felt loved and celebrated. We all deserve this!
As someone who grew up in a family that really celebrated birthdays . They were a big thing. One of my uncles celebrated and parties for a week. I shrunk from the fuss, the expectations, the parties and the speculations on who you would marry. Not celebrating was my escape. But I quietly acknowledge it and am happy to make it past another rotation. You've given me a lot to think about.
Celebrations don't always have to be big or loud. But yes, expressing joy and gratitude for it and allowing others to express it to you as well, that's what it is about ❤️
My dad's birthday was a few days past the fourth of July and he always referred to it as his own national holiday. 🎇 I have carried on that tradition! A verse I saw once: Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
Hell yes, I love this! We all have our own national holiday. I don't find that vain at all - not in our crazy achievement focused capitalist world. We need to remind ourselves that we are worthy of celebration just for existing. Happy Birthday Nancy!
'They are not about what you do but about who you are' - ooft, this hits hard! I've slowly started leaning in to celebrating my birthday properly. This piece makes me want to go all in, I love it.
As a fellow summer baby (mine was on 7/7), I can relate to the trickiness of planning a celebration. But I still enjoy celebrating my birthday. Exactly how I celebrate varies, but nevertheless it is a gift to celebrate another year of life. Thank you for your reflections!
Nadia, I absolutely LOVED reading this essay! Your enthusiasm for birthdays mirrors my own feelings so closely. I’ve always adored celebrating birthdays, both mine and others. What perfect timing to read your post, as my own birthday is in just a day and a half! Your words have filled me with even more excitement and gratitude for this special time!
Exactly! Any opportunity is a good one :)
I hope you are ok Rebecca! Thank you for sharing this ❤️ You are absolutely right, I agree with everything. Every single day is such a gift. And birthdays are the perfect reminder of it!
I agree with all of this!!! Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment!
Thank you ❤️
Hi! A fellow cancer here, and I agree - the little things on a birthday make it so much more special for us. My bestfriend/roommate wrote me a card for mine, and I burst into tears at the gesture. I also feel pessimistic about my birthday, and yet am always surprised at the things my friends and family do for me on that day. It’s a beautiful thing to celebrate ourselves for at least one day out of the year!
I am so happy that your people celebrate you on your day, even when you feel pessimistic about it! Such a joy! I hope the next one is amazing!!!
this is an interesting post to me as someone who has always been a person who tried very hard not to care about my own birthday. this past july is the first birthday I've had since like age 9 maybe that didn't feel at best like a chore to navigate. i went to my friend's house and hung out for a few hours while we talked and i crocheted. I can't remember ever being excited for my birthday, if anything I've anticipated it with dread. But over the last few years I've been rewriting that narrative and its been a gradual project but I actually did celebrate it this year and had a great time. and I'm tentatively looking forward to next years birthday as well ☺️
*this past week of july.
Happy birthday darling!!! That is wonderful to read! I am sorry you had bad birthdays in the past and it's exciting to be on this new journey. Yes to rewriting our stories!!!
I don’t care how old I get, I will always celebrate my birthday. It is one day in a year i truly celebrate my life and that I am alive. After all, it’s a privilege to get older.
Yes yes yes! That is the spirit!!!
I love birthdays! I have several girlfriends who never want to celebrate theirs, and that makes me sad - I always say that your birthday is the one day a year that’s all about YOU. I take a vacation day on my birthday every year; even if I’m not doing anything or going anywhere, working is not what I want to do on my special day, lol. Completely agree that we should celebrate our enduring existence, even if it’s in a small way!
So happy you celebrate your existence ALWAYS! ❤️ I love that you take a vacation day, hell yes! It should be mandatory for anyone that is employed haha :)
Love this post! My birthday was on the 9th and it was a long day at work, got into a car accident (all is well though), and I was feeling pretty down overall. And yet even though my family and other friends are not nearby, they still made an effort to make me feel special and loved and appreciated. It’s a beautiful thing! I don’t usually make a big deal about my birthday and never specifically plan anything (silly me, I am going to change that next year) and I have been feeling so low the past couple of months. So, to have everyone show up for me like that made me think “Wow, I have some pretty awesome people in my life. And it’s cool that they choose to be my friend as well.” I love how you put it - we don’t need to prove we are worthy of celebrating, our existence is truly enough.
I am so sorry about your accident darling and I hope you are ok now. It made me smile that the day turned around for you and that you felt loved and celebrated. We all deserve this!
4 days after mine!
Fellow Leo!
As someone who grew up in a family that really celebrated birthdays . They were a big thing. One of my uncles celebrated and parties for a week. I shrunk from the fuss, the expectations, the parties and the speculations on who you would marry. Not celebrating was my escape. But I quietly acknowledge it and am happy to make it past another rotation. You've given me a lot to think about.
Celebrations don't always have to be big or loud. But yes, expressing joy and gratitude for it and allowing others to express it to you as well, that's what it is about ❤️
My birthday is sacred for me! 🥰🎂🍷
You are my kind of person!!!
My dad's birthday was a few days past the fourth of July and he always referred to it as his own national holiday. 🎇 I have carried on that tradition! A verse I saw once: Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
Hell yes, I love this! We all have our own national holiday. I don't find that vain at all - not in our crazy achievement focused capitalist world. We need to remind ourselves that we are worthy of celebration just for existing. Happy Birthday Nancy!
'They are not about what you do but about who you are' - ooft, this hits hard! I've slowly started leaning in to celebrating my birthday properly. This piece makes me want to go all in, I love it.
I love this! And I hope you do go all in! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
As a fellow summer baby (mine was on 7/7), I can relate to the trickiness of planning a celebration. But I still enjoy celebrating my birthday. Exactly how I celebrate varies, but nevertheless it is a gift to celebrate another year of life. Thank you for your reflections!
Happy new year of life to you!!! So in love with your love for your birthday!
Nadia, I absolutely LOVED reading this essay! Your enthusiasm for birthdays mirrors my own feelings so closely. I’ve always adored celebrating birthdays, both mine and others. What perfect timing to read your post, as my own birthday is in just a day and a half! Your words have filled me with even more excitement and gratitude for this special time!
Happy new year of life Mohika! I hope this will be everything and more for you!