(no subject)
Well, I celebrated my 27th Birthday last weekend. =)
As the guests arrived and the busy-ness continued on through the afternoon, I began wondering whether throwing a birthday party is just much too narcissistic for my tastes. The older I get, the less enthused I am to celebrate something which took no effort on my part. Don't get me wrong, I think life itself is plenty of reason to be celebratory, but if you think about the way in which we go about planning "the day", do you ever wonder if you only put more strain on yourself than necessary? :P
I mean, first you must decide who to invite; then you rush to get all the food needed to feed your guests; afterward, you clean the house, the back yard, and so forth. Once the guests arrive, you suddenly become the center of attention for the next couple of hours. I think I did well by inviting people whose personalities were independent enough so as to keep themselves entertained between one another. Beyond that, I spent most of the day hosting my own party. LeRoy cooked, and mom kept the ladies company.
However, on more than one occasion, I thought, "You know... isn't this a bit overrated?" Yes, that sounds terrible. What am I, a grinch??? Who poo-poos on celebrating birthdays!?
Well, I suppose that would all depend on who birthday parties are really for. Perhaps they're not for the person whose birthday is being celebrated; it's for the friends and family around you who will share a greater bond through that one singular event--the lighting of the birthday cake. What's so special about that? I mean, we've all eaten cake on many occasions, and I'm sure most of us are quite comfortable declining a slice.
True, it's a calorie-overloaded centerpiece, but it's also a symbol; after all, why do some of the most touching moments in a film include old birthday scenes of years gone by? If nothing else, the very image of friends and family gathered around on this once-a-year occasion creates a rare but cherished moment when only the most valuable prizes of life (friends and loved ones) become a reminder of who you are, that you are, and that it really is a big deal. Who was it that said, "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words"?
We live in a world where so many people have forgotten that song. We live in a time and culture which daily buries people with reasons for thinking that no one is of any special significance. Daring to believe otherwise borders on either ignorance, arrogance, or both. In a world where life has been subdued to the rags of the common, loneliness endures; and where endemic feelings of emptiness afflicts students hard at work in schools, ambitious careerists, the elderly, and the sick, this is an important reminder: My dear friend, you are loved. And despite any hardships you may endure, whatever you may think of yourself--know that these people have chosen to acknowledge that significance by sticking by you. You do make an important difference in their lives, and it is all they can do to remind you that the day of your birth marks a time when God himself took one moment and dedicated it to your oncoming existence. And if you're so hard-hearted that you will not allow those closest to you to embrace you in this moment of warmth, you've probably set yourself up for a very lonely existence. And that is sad, especially in light of the fact that so many really do love you.
So perhaps giving into "the day" isn't so selfish after all. We need to be reminded that our lives do make a difference, and we need to be willing to hear it. If you don't allow others to be reminders of how much you really do have, you'll deprive from others the honor of knowing a richer human being; and people who dwell in that understanding are more likely to help others find their worth too.
As the guests arrived and the busy-ness continued on through the afternoon, I began wondering whether throwing a birthday party is just much too narcissistic for my tastes. The older I get, the less enthused I am to celebrate something which took no effort on my part. Don't get me wrong, I think life itself is plenty of reason to be celebratory, but if you think about the way in which we go about planning "the day", do you ever wonder if you only put more strain on yourself than necessary? :P
I mean, first you must decide who to invite; then you rush to get all the food needed to feed your guests; afterward, you clean the house, the back yard, and so forth. Once the guests arrive, you suddenly become the center of attention for the next couple of hours. I think I did well by inviting people whose personalities were independent enough so as to keep themselves entertained between one another. Beyond that, I spent most of the day hosting my own party. LeRoy cooked, and mom kept the ladies company.
However, on more than one occasion, I thought, "You know... isn't this a bit overrated?" Yes, that sounds terrible. What am I, a grinch??? Who poo-poos on celebrating birthdays!?
Well, I suppose that would all depend on who birthday parties are really for. Perhaps they're not for the person whose birthday is being celebrated; it's for the friends and family around you who will share a greater bond through that one singular event--the lighting of the birthday cake. What's so special about that? I mean, we've all eaten cake on many occasions, and I'm sure most of us are quite comfortable declining a slice.
True, it's a calorie-overloaded centerpiece, but it's also a symbol; after all, why do some of the most touching moments in a film include old birthday scenes of years gone by? If nothing else, the very image of friends and family gathered around on this once-a-year occasion creates a rare but cherished moment when only the most valuable prizes of life (friends and loved ones) become a reminder of who you are, that you are, and that it really is a big deal. Who was it that said, "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words"?
We live in a world where so many people have forgotten that song. We live in a time and culture which daily buries people with reasons for thinking that no one is of any special significance. Daring to believe otherwise borders on either ignorance, arrogance, or both. In a world where life has been subdued to the rags of the common, loneliness endures; and where endemic feelings of emptiness afflicts students hard at work in schools, ambitious careerists, the elderly, and the sick, this is an important reminder: My dear friend, you are loved. And despite any hardships you may endure, whatever you may think of yourself--know that these people have chosen to acknowledge that significance by sticking by you. You do make an important difference in their lives, and it is all they can do to remind you that the day of your birth marks a time when God himself took one moment and dedicated it to your oncoming existence. And if you're so hard-hearted that you will not allow those closest to you to embrace you in this moment of warmth, you've probably set yourself up for a very lonely existence. And that is sad, especially in light of the fact that so many really do love you.
So perhaps giving into "the day" isn't so selfish after all. We need to be reminded that our lives do make a difference, and we need to be willing to hear it. If you don't allow others to be reminders of how much you really do have, you'll deprive from others the honor of knowing a richer human being; and people who dwell in that understanding are more likely to help others find their worth too.