With mine rapidly approaching, a word about birthdays:

What better way to honor a person than to celebrate his or her birth and all the successful years that have ensued in his or her life since.  A celebration of that individual’s existence in the world.  A holiday special for each individual, recognizing their individuality and significance.  So, I try not to miss other people’s birthdays, and I try to do something special for my own.
[If you’d like to see one of my birthday adventures, check out this post from a past retired blog of mine]

As you can see, birthdays hold a lot of significance for me.

And, I like to keep on my calendar the birthdays of people who have died.  I love the reminder of people who have passed and how a birthday very much brings to mind a person’s whole life.  It’s a reminder to celebrate that person’s existence in the world, even if passed, and all the events and adventures that made up that life – just as we would those people who are still with us to whom we can say a hearty “Happy Birthday”.  This does, of course, remind me of the pain of no longer having that person in my life and the pain of missing him or her, but I greatly appreciate the reminder to commemorate all that that person was and the splendor of his or her life.  I sure am glad they were born, even if it’s hard for me that they died.

So, to anyone who’s day is today, “Happy Birthday!!”  I raise a toast to you and your life.  And, a Happy Birthday to all in the continuing days, months, and years ahead as each person’s birthday occurs and marks the culmination of another year lived well.  Here’s to another season of life completed and to the next one dawning. May it be fulfilling: full of adventure, full of wonder, and full of contentment.