When last did you celebrate the day of your birth? If you don't, why? And when you do, how do you celebrate it?
It was a bit of a curious question I asked myself and my friends around me at the time.
I smiled when Mogatu, my dear friend, told me of his idea. What an amazing idea I thought. I loved it! And he could see that I loved it. I have a feeling I'm more excited about his birthday than him about his own...lol! Not every day do you get to celebrate your 5th birthday, and there are very few chances in life when you get a re-do.
No, he's not turning 5 and this is not a re-do;). This is him enjoying and celebrating his life. But even if he did, how awesome would a 5-year-old birthday party be?
Him and I agree on something very fundamental. Why celebrate anything, if it's not worth celebrating?
Most people celebrate birthdays now because it is what society dictates. Every year your friends expect you to host a birthday, and when you're young your parents arrange a party and cake AND you get presents. Yay! That's when you're young. It was different in my situation, but more on that later.
So...when you're old, however, birthdays become more of a chore, admin and logistics...who do you invite, will they be offended, why do I have to spend money to celebrate my birth, is it really necessary? And the gifts...is it necessary? How much? What will they think of me? Is it what they want? What if they don't like it? Do I really need to get them a gift? Can I afford a gift at every birthday this year...I have a lot of friends!!
My parents have and will always be very practical people. We come from a very humble background, and we've all worked hard for the things we believed in, and God has blessed us in most of our endeavors. Birthdays have just never really been something my parents celebrate...I don't harbor any regrets. I've never truly wondered why because I've never truly believed in celebrating myself. It's kind of an odd thing to say...but anyways...
As I've gotten older, I've started to use my birthdays as an excuse to see all my friends...because honestly, I hate the attention. For some odd reason, I just feel the birthday girl/boy has so much pressure to be happy on the day because they were born...why? If I'm having a bad year, why on earth would I plaster on a smile to see people and pretend to be happy when I'm not? That's the one side of it...and...My family was never into the culture of birthdays and celebrating or doing unnecessary things. The only birthday party I've ever had...was when I turned 25. It was awesome, and it was an awesome year! There've been 3 times in between when a good friend and my sister got involved in getting a cake and a few people together. But I abhor the admin, and the attention.
But today I realized something...and this builds on the conversation I had with my friend, Mogatu. You've got to celebrate success...in whatever big way or small. You've conquered the biggest and the most difficult years, and you've made it out alive. We still are in tact, and we still have each other. If you don't celebrate the victories and the successes you want, you will never anchor them as happy experiences, you will never appreciate them and you will absolutely never have more of what you don't appreciate.
If your birthday is at the beginning of the year, set the tone for an amazing year ahead! And be happy to be alive! If your birthday is at the end of the year, celebrate an amazing year you've had because you're still alive and kicking! Lol.
Yes, this is going to be an amazing year, Mogatu! And for me :). We have amazing people in our lives! Yes or yes?
So... we may not be able to take full credit of us being born...but every year is a reminder, that without the people in our lives...you may not exist and you may not be the person you are today.
Birthday celebrations? Are they compulsory...no. If they are, you deny yourself of the true meaning of the word birth. It was a day you were given life. Live your life. Be the best you can be. And celebrate! Celebrate all the life you've been given and the life you were meant to live!
Okay...before I give you away the short video clip... I have to thank someone. Thank you Mogatu for that insightful conversation :). I am blessed to have you in my life. I am planning my costume in my head lol...which one..I digress! Thank you for being the friend I need you to be. Hopefully I add as much value to your life too.
For those of you who do not know who Mogatu is...don't worry about it. He is not evil, as much as his awesome laugh dictates. Mogatu comes from Zoolander, a movie we both love and quote from on a regular basis, and what a character he is! I've always wanted to mimic his laugh ...My Mogatu? When he laughs, it's so deep, it resounds with so much power, that you yourself want to also laugh. That's true happiness. True laughter and happiness amongst friends. Sharing the deep and the silly and being okay to still be friends :).
So...as promised, the video link: thank you Mr Project Life Mastery for inspiring me, even on your birthday. We definitely need more people like you!
Yours in Living
Donna
PS. On Gifts? Honestly...it's the thought that counts. If you've rushed and you've overextended yourself to please me, it does not please me. I appreciate it when you find joy in giving me something. If it pains you, it pains me too. By the way, I find immense joy in gifting! Yes! It's strange...I know ;). I've slacked in this regard since my move to Johannesburg, but it's gonna change ;).
PPS...
1000 views! I've just passed that mark! From the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and everyone of you for supporting my blog! It's been amazing having readers from all over the world, and feedback! I'm still getting back to you if you've written to me ;), I just don't wanna do a half hearted job. I haven't forgotten. I promise. If I don't get back to you before I see you, I will see you before I write back to you. You know who you are ;). Hehe...and yes, I WILL see you, when I visit.
My blog started off as a reminder to myself about why I needed to be successful...until that died and revived as a way to release my thoughts to enable me to finally sleep...but it's turned into something that I really enjoy, and something other people enjoy reading, as I've been told. So yes, my friends ... Even though I have again mastered the art of sleeping, I will continue to write for you. If it makes a difference in your life, please continue reading...because it makes a difference in my life when I am able to inspire others to live a better life :).
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