Saturday, August 7, 2010

Birthday

Today is my birthday. It’s such a special day and it always has been. One of my earliest memories was occasionally falling out of bed. One time it was on my birthday. I cried and my Mom came in and said that I must’ve fallen out of bed because it was my birthday. I looked up to see a new dress that she made hanging on the door…I immediately stopped crying and sat there so happy to be held and hugged and treated special for my birthday. I was always treated special for that day. For many birthdays after that I had a tradition of rolling off my bed and telling myself, “Happy Birthday!” I loved making my day special.

When my kids were growing up, we had a birthday week. Everything we did during their birthday week we said it was for their birthday…that made small things seem out of the ordinary. So I still find myself telling myself whenever I’m doing anything this week that it’s for my birthday. I treat myself to little things: little treats, playing my favorite CD loudly, dancing in the living room, eating something decadent, making every small thing happening this week as if it is in celebration of my life!

Once I read a book about 3 sisters who were named May, June and August. They were named after their birth month and during that month they didn’t have to do any chores, but just read and enjoy life. I loved that idea.

After digital clocks came around every time the clock said 08:06….my birth date…I would take a moment to re-create that special feeling. Until the clock said 08:07, it was my birth time so that minute was just mine.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we took every moment of every day to celebrate our life? My birthday gift to myself this year is to try to make every day special. Play my music and dance, take a few moments to read during the day, put on a pretty dress, and close my eyes when I eat chocolate and say “Here’s to you, ole girl! Let’s celebrate being alive!“