Happy birthday to me.
Or in the words of my 10-year-old daughter: “My God, Dad. I can’t believe you’re that old!”
Well, my blasphemous child, I’ll have you know I feel no older than I did yesterday.
In mathematical terms, that means – assuming I felt my age to start with – that I feel younger than what I actually am.
In mechanical terms, things might not be ticking quite as well as they used to – but they’re still ticking.
And in terms of wisdom, well, experience tells me I’m smarter than you are which means you can keep your ageist comments to your little self.
“Yes Dad, whatever.”
Birthdays are funny things.
We spend some years wishing we were older, some not caring how old we are, and perhaps later years wishing we could turn back the clock a little.
The older we get, the less purpose birthdays seem to serve – or perhaps it’s just that we’re at the point we don’t want to know time is passing us by.
Regardless, I’ve come to the conclusion that birthdays do serve a purpose.
And to carry on the sentimental nature of this soapbox, I’ll say it’s a time to remind you of your place.
There’s the hug from your family as you trot off to work.
The phone call from your Mum.
The Facebook message from the incredibly well-organised someone you haven’t heard from in ages – but who still remembers you.
The email from someone who “heard” it’s your birthday.
The cake and a hearty rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the work crew, albeit with a knowledge that good cake can be a solid motivator.
And another hug from your family as your arrive home.
Those are the things which make birthdays a good day.
Oh, a Google search tells me it’s also Al Gore and Ewan McGregor’s birthday.
It was also the special day of French philosopher Rene Descartes. He was the one who said: “I think, therefore I am.”
I see a nice touch of irony in that!
Cads Mayfield, on April 1st, 2008 at 9:02 pm Said: Edit Comment
and to me… I am another March 31st babe and I spent the day in a way that confirms that Sydney – or at least my little bit of it in Fairlight – is the best place in the world.
It was one of those miracle days where the temperature is mild, the breeze is gentle, the sun shone and I got to sit on the foreshore and look at the water and hear the gentle lapping of waves while I read a book. I was having such a great time I forgot to go and have a facial – which was supposed to be my treat to myself!
I had the calls from family, the meals with friends, the small gifts that are all you need at my (undisclosed) age.
Mostly I pondered on how it took only 6 months to become one of the ‘insular peninsular’ types – and unashamedly so.
I now don’t want to drive over the Spit Bridge, I don’t want to get in my car at all. I just walk along the walkway, sip coffee in the local cafe’s, work from home (when I have to), visit the kids (when I have to – I really just love that I can), look at the water a lot from my windows, walk in the local bush, smell the salty air, watch the boats bob on Manly Cove and wonder why I didn’t make this sea change decades ago. My only real concern is that the trees might grow to obscure my view! (See I told you I had gone native)
How can life get any better for a manic Aries than learning to relax at last.