On birthdays

There are a lot of things better off written than me talking about it in front of people. A response given during the Vanguard August Birthday Fellowship, 23 August 2013.

Birthdays.

Why do celebrants take time to enjoy their birthday? Why do people even celebrate with you?

This composition may answer, but it would most likely describe how I recently look at birthdays.

Birthday celebrations differ based on several factors:

- Year or age

- Presence of family, friends

- Financial displacement

- Cultural and social conditions

- Etc.

The second point greatly influences how you celebrate during the younger years of your life. From a toddler and most likely until college, these are the people who take part in a 24-hour free man's time. This may be celebrated in Disneyland or just in your nearby mall. It may be you who's treating your friends to lunch, or your family giving a surprise party after you get home tired.

The YOU in birthdays come past your years of innocence and dependence.

Childhood is merely a celebration of the "success" of your parents in bringing you into this world. Even though they throw a party with their friends and all the relatives, it actually doesn't affect you. You're a baby, a kid or someone who gives more attention to the cake and toys - the simple things in life that give you joy. Visitors and guests just pass by the day.

When you grow up a little bit, you begin to recognize the presence of your family and friends. You yearn for their company on the day, even week, of your birth anniversary. This stage comes around high school to the early years of your work.

Then comes the cornerstone in these feasts. Once you grab a hold of your career and do something significant, the time for a birthday wherein you are the center subs in. The gifts and important people are still there, but the cameras are focused on you. It's your existence that make these days meaningful for you and for the people around you. This line may be acceptable during the longest part of my division of the birthday season ( childhood, teen-early adult, adult, death): "We're glad to have met you" or "We're glad to have you in the family". Something along those lines that means you've done something good for it to make an impact on lives. And, you wish for more years to come, more blessings to keep you up in whatever you keep yourself busy with. You wish that you could make more friends and help around and not be a tombstone just waiting to be placed over a grave. Yes, if you do not do anything with your life, you are good as dead - no more birthdays.

Finally, like the heroes and big names you see in markers of halls, roads, and material objects, your legacy will touch generations. Obviously, these are better acknowledge during the time of your birthday or death anniversary. Others will be celebrating that you, your ideas and your actions made lives meaningful.

I'm still young that the last two parts of this is pretty shady.

I celebrated my 21st birthday, but i don't remember how. It just passed by, and ran like a breeze due to the weather in the country. However, i did find ways to celebrate with the people that mattered. I rest at that day while waiting for the years. I'm quite eager to be remembered as a saint or as a good pet owner. Whatever works is fine with me.