March is for Birthdays

My step-father's birthday is coming up, followed by mine a few days later.  Already, a close librarian friend has had a birthday.  My brother's birthday is late this month, and two other friends are also completing one more trip around the sun.

It's easy to do the math--If March is for birthing, then June is for loving.  Beyond that powerful observation, I'm thinking this year about how wildly adults diverge in their approach to birthdays.

Birthday parties are customary for children,  if not obligatory.  Go to any card shop, and there are colorful cards for every single year that the precious little one soldiers on.  By the time you're an adult, greeting cards are either saccharine (woman to woman); sheepish (man to woman); dirty (man to man); or wistfully longing for youth (everyone).

But whatever cards you give and receive, what's fascinating is the different approaches people take to their special day.  Some people make sure that you know about it, and look forward to a big bash.  This must be the group that had the most fun when they were kids.  I attempt to be discreet, but always let the date slip anyway.  And some people guard their birth date very closely. 

I often imagine throwing big parties for people I know who reach "milestones," but eventually realize that it's my definition of a milestone rather than theirs.  So the birthday rolls by like normal, leaving me with a twinge of sadness at this small mark of childhood's passing.

Comments

[Evangeline]

My mother called me on my birthday last week and asked how the day was going. When I told her of the tulips and daffodils and mini roses and champagne bottle that greeted me at my desk when I came into work, she lamented that nobody recognizes HER birthday. "Duh", says I, "You refuse to acknowledge your birthday to anyone!" You have to advertise! Shout it out gleefully! And return the warm thoughts and good wishes on others' birthdays.

[Alexis]

I couldn't tell you how many times I have literally forgotten my own birthday, at least until the very end of the day. I had enough bad experiences with birthday parties when I was younger that I guess I just have no interest in planning one for myself. The most I usually do is have dinner with my best friend here in the city. When I don't forget, that is.

But I'm glad I read this post, because it reminded me that today is my mother's birthday, and my dad's is Saturday (my brother's was the third - I'm the only non-March birthday in my immediate family). So I called my Mom to wish her a happy birthday - Thank you Marcus!