Birthdays

Today was my birthday. I received many e-cards from friends on my social networking page as well as from family. I had already prepared food for today so I didn't have to do anything much, and did not get up early. I stayed in bed listening to some music on the radio until 9:30.

Birthdays invoke strange feelings in me. There are happy memories of childhood all the presents were a surprise and birthday tea would have cake, jelly and ice-cream. Each birthday as a teenager got me closer to that door of freedom, adulthood, being able to do what I wanted to do, no more listening to parents. How naive we are at different times in our lives!

As the years have slipped by, I find myself liking birthdays and the little gestures made to acknowledge a birthday. Like the time my husband and I were in Paris when hubby was working on a project with an interesting French co-operative savings club. I had spent the morning touring Paris while ameeting was taking place. When I arrived at the restaurant to meet up with everyone, all of whom I had met before, I was told I could only have a main dish to eat. I didn't think anything about that, so had a chicken plate. Then a cake with many candles was wheeled out, and the whole restaurant sang 'Joyeaux Anniversaire" to me. I was kissed on both cheeks by many handsome men and blew out the candles. it was a surprising, romantic thing for my husband to arrange, especially given he usually got the date of my birthday wrong!

Another year he had arranged for some friends to come round for a potluck, after telling me to relax while he prepared our evening meal. Today he forgot. I was waiting for him to ask me if it was my birthday, and it was only after my daughter rang in the evening to wish me a happy birthday that he said 'Oh, happy birthday. Why didn't you remind me?' And that was that, not to be mentioned again. I don't take it personally any more as I have grown through my spiritual practices. I am very happy whether my birthday is remembered or not as I have so much to be grateful for in my life.