Past. Present. Future. Time changes things. On the other hand, we may not realize it but we all change with time. One day finishes to become another and what’s more, another. The Earth gradually pivots and spins. The clock’s hands never stop, no matter how much we want it to. Furthermore, with it, the wheels of progress are set into movement. It creeps in gradually, inch by inch. Adding yet one more day. But then again, it is definitely not.

To make a few days stand out from the rest, we give them a significance, a name, or a reason. Indeed, even your birthday is a day your parents and relatives teach you to give significance and yet there are so many people who see no motivation to celebrate the day they arrived into this world and took their first breath of air. (I do.) Critics often say it is simply one more day, so why go the additional mile?

They are right in this sense, it is one more day. In any case, why should that prevent us from celebrating the precious joy of life? Why does it prevent us from taking a couple of minutes, hours or a whole day to reflect on your life, your relationships with family, friends, even co-workers, and above all, remember your good fortune?

In our current reality where there are incalculable motivations to feel dull and useless, it is the small day-to-day activities we take part in that matter because essentially they make you who you are. These activities quite often win us the bonds we share with friends and family. Yet, these friends may not stay until the end of time, sadly there are moments when we lose all sense of contact with our longtime friends and they are in the different chapters of the book called life then we are, basically in light of the fact that “life” happened.

Yes, it is not an extremely cheerful feeling to think back and recollect the people who were once so dear to us and yet are no longer a dynamic piece of our life. We are taught to hold those all the more dear who have been with us until the end of time.

In any case, why should to that prevent you from being appreciative to have the people who do remain, or the people who have entered your life once more? Since past experience recommends they may not be there tomorrow and since nothing keeps going on indefinitely forever except for God’s love for us (in my opinion, yours may vary, I hold zero judgments).

In the event that you ask me, it is definitely this motivation behind why you SHOULD celebrate birthdays — yours and others, particularly others — for on the off-chance that you didn’t take today to create meaningful experiences and memories, to feel appreciative and feel unique, you might have nothing to think back about tomorrow.

Today, you have these people. Tomorrow, you may not. For example, my Grammy and I were born a day apart, I never realized how much I took for granted being able to share a birthday cake and blow out the candles with her until the first birthday I celebrated after she passed away. In any case, amid the time when they are a piece of your life, they are or have been critical and when they aren’t anymore you feel it. Why not make them feel that specialness today, regardless of what happens tomorrow? Figures of speech and expressions inform us to make the most of each moment; that each and every day ought to be exceptional — not only a couple. In any case, we all realize that is not always sensible as life gets in the way, jobs and obligations.

That is what brings me to the five birthday wishes I have every year, hopefully one year I’ll receive them:

1. All of my friends, family and relatives to chip in and have a huge party, like a wedding, except it celebrates the bond we share with each other another year. Rent a big hall, hire a DJ, a caterer, dress up and celebrate each other.

2. I do not hear news that anyone I know (or anyone they know) has cancer.

3. God blesses all my family, friends, and everyone who reads this blog with many more birthdays, health and happiness (myself included).

4. To meet a real, gifted medium who will be able to contact my Grammy so I can talk to her again.

5. That my blog will reach, inspire and change the way people think in a positive way.

Those are my five birthday wishes, be that as it may, there were additionally times when I was horribly aware of those I had left behind on my journey forward in life and my wishes also extend to them. Their non-attendance was felt. These who made up the ‘ghosts of friendships past’ and once held a significant spot in my day by day life that have followed a different path than me, I salute you too, for you left a hand print on my heart that helped shape me into the woman I became.

Life happened. It is dismal, yes. In any case, I think back on those times with those people with cheerful wistfulness. I am appreciative of that reason for my birthday, where I get to communicate the significance of everyone I know (past and present)’s place in my life, and the other way around. I now know, right then and there in time, I had mattered to them. I likewise realize that since they aren’t here does not mean they have been erased for all eternity. I feel my Grandmother’s presence with me daily despite her being deceased for nearly five years. I also have photographs of my childhood friends Jessica and Mike (one lost to cancer the other lost to growing apart) and I will cherish them when I look at them every now and then when I feel nostalgic.

Every May 1st, I feel appreciative for having been loved and esteemed by those around me, by being given the life I now lead, for the friends and family who are a piece of my life now and who went to such awesome lengths to make me feel extraordinary. Every year I do that then offer into the universe as bit of wistfulness for the lost ones that despite the fact that they and the memories I’d imparted to them were unique, I find myself in hopes that they are as happy as I am with their lives.Every May 1st, I discover motivations to praise the day, as opposed to pass it off as simply one more day. On my birthday, I remember my good fortune for what I have today before I lose it, and what I had yesterday.

On my birthdays, I pay tribute to the thing called time and I encourage you to do the same.

How do you feel about birthdays? Who in your life are you must grateful for? Leave a comment below as I love hearing from all of you!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

 xoxo