Someone’s birthday is this week. I asked him what he wanted to celebrate the feast day of his nativity. No, he didn’t want to go out to dinner or cook something fabulous at home. No, he didn’t want a birthday prize (he counts his as such the newly purchased fit-bits). And, no, he didn’t want cake.  He is working that night anyway. As The Firesign Theatre says: “Why he’s no fun, he falls right over.”

I like birthdays – mine and everyone else’s – filled with foudroyant festivities, which includes cards and prizes, and (if all goes well) good food and drink in the company of others. I  call or send greetings via FB to all my know.

We are at opposite ends of how to celebrate a birthday, but the bottom line is the birthday boy gets to ‘celebrate’ the way he wants to. Nevertheless I will get Someone some sort of token prize and surprise him when he comes home with a bit of carrot cake (his favorite) and comfort food.*

Regardless how one passes the day, I think all of us should pause on our birthday to commemorate we have survived another year. Despite everything we still stand. I tell my doleful patients bemoaning they are another year older I know many people now dead who would have given all to be alive at their age.

On you birthday I recommend playing a version of “I’m Still Here”. For Spo-fans unfamiliar with this song, it is from  Mr. Sondheim’s “Follies”. At a reunion an aged actress relates all the highs/lows of her life, repeating “But I’m still here”.

It is a good thing to recall once in a while, especially on a birthday.

 

*Crockpot macaroni and cheese sounds good.