Warning - selfish rant forthcoming! Birthdays...who'd have 'em?!
So I'm 25 tomorrow. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" they all want to know. "What am I doing?" I ask. "YES, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" they ask again.
I'm doing nothing. That's right - I'm doing nothing. "WHY NOT?" they all say. "Why?" says I.
This isn't good enough for them! So, what do they do? They arrange a surprise meal out for me, because of course 'I have to do something on my birthday!'
I'm neither boring nor do I dislike birthdays. I just don't want to do anything for it. Why is that a problem? It's MY birthday. If I don't want to do anything for it, then that's my prerogotive right? Wrong! Apparently I AM boring or must dislike birthdays to not want to celebrate it.
NEWS FLASH - we have a birthday EVERY year. It's no surprise. It doesn't just turn up out of the blue. It happens on the same date every year. What's exciting about it? I get another year older. But I've been getting a day older every day for the past 364 days between each birthday. Do I celebrate that? No. Although I might start to actually.... Then I can ask people why they don't do the same, and then frown at them when they say they don't want to. Just like they do when I say I don't want to celebrate my birthday.
I sound like a right grumpy git, I know. I'm not. I've had some cracking birthdays - I've celebrated them in a lot of different ways. I also like celebrating other people's birthdays - in fact, I love it. If people want to organise something for my birthday - go ahead. I'll be there. I'll appreciate it. I'm sure I'll have a cracking time. But do I WANT to do anything for my birthday? No.
I'm not depressed about being another year older. It's not like the year's flashed by in a whirl. Well, it has I suppose. But I remember it. I've done stuff. I've been places. I've met people. I haven't wasted it. I'm not in mourning that another year has passed since my last birthday. I've had some great, great times.
Yes, I'll admit it's a little scary getting older. Especially when I still feel like a 12 year old. And look like one. Thanks mum for that reminder. And yet, at the same time I feel so much older. Perhaps my mum should be the one who celebrates this day. After all, she's the one who had to go through the pains of labour. Three weeks late, I might add. Pat the woman's back... Let my dad celebrate it. He created a person. That's an achievement right there. Give THEM a cake. Buy THEM a present. They're the ones that deserve celebrating. I didn't do anything to celebrate. Although, I won't say no to some cake.
Why is it so wrong to want to spend my birthday wrapped in my duvet, eating some chocolate, taking part in my usual 'Star Trek Sunday' routine? Pretty much the same way I spent last Sunday and quite likely how I'll spend next Sunday. Not because I'm depressed. Not because I don't want to be another year older. Not because I'm wondering where the past 25 years have gone. But because that's what I want to do. It makes me happy. I'm not a whole YEAR older, I'm a day older than yesterday.
But I'll go for this surprise meal and I'll have a good time. Not because it's my birthday. And not because I'll get a free meal. But because I like eating and even more so, I love spending time with my friends. I very much appreciate their efforts, and at least I still get to spend the day doing what I had planned.
But I still don't understand why I can't just do nothing on my birthday.
I'm doing nothing. That's right - I'm doing nothing. "WHY NOT?" they all say. "Why?" says I.
This isn't good enough for them! So, what do they do? They arrange a surprise meal out for me, because of course 'I have to do something on my birthday!'
I'm neither boring nor do I dislike birthdays. I just don't want to do anything for it. Why is that a problem? It's MY birthday. If I don't want to do anything for it, then that's my prerogotive right? Wrong! Apparently I AM boring or must dislike birthdays to not want to celebrate it.
NEWS FLASH - we have a birthday EVERY year. It's no surprise. It doesn't just turn up out of the blue. It happens on the same date every year. What's exciting about it? I get another year older. But I've been getting a day older every day for the past 364 days between each birthday. Do I celebrate that? No. Although I might start to actually.... Then I can ask people why they don't do the same, and then frown at them when they say they don't want to. Just like they do when I say I don't want to celebrate my birthday.
I sound like a right grumpy git, I know. I'm not. I've had some cracking birthdays - I've celebrated them in a lot of different ways. I also like celebrating other people's birthdays - in fact, I love it. If people want to organise something for my birthday - go ahead. I'll be there. I'll appreciate it. I'm sure I'll have a cracking time. But do I WANT to do anything for my birthday? No.
I'm not depressed about being another year older. It's not like the year's flashed by in a whirl. Well, it has I suppose. But I remember it. I've done stuff. I've been places. I've met people. I haven't wasted it. I'm not in mourning that another year has passed since my last birthday. I've had some great, great times.
Yes, I'll admit it's a little scary getting older. Especially when I still feel like a 12 year old. And look like one. Thanks mum for that reminder. And yet, at the same time I feel so much older. Perhaps my mum should be the one who celebrates this day. After all, she's the one who had to go through the pains of labour. Three weeks late, I might add. Pat the woman's back... Let my dad celebrate it. He created a person. That's an achievement right there. Give THEM a cake. Buy THEM a present. They're the ones that deserve celebrating. I didn't do anything to celebrate. Although, I won't say no to some cake.
Why is it so wrong to want to spend my birthday wrapped in my duvet, eating some chocolate, taking part in my usual 'Star Trek Sunday' routine? Pretty much the same way I spent last Sunday and quite likely how I'll spend next Sunday. Not because I'm depressed. Not because I don't want to be another year older. Not because I'm wondering where the past 25 years have gone. But because that's what I want to do. It makes me happy. I'm not a whole YEAR older, I'm a day older than yesterday.
But I'll go for this surprise meal and I'll have a good time. Not because it's my birthday. And not because I'll get a free meal. But because I like eating and even more so, I love spending time with my friends. I very much appreciate their efforts, and at least I still get to spend the day doing what I had planned.
But I still don't understand why I can't just do nothing on my birthday.