Today, August 26, is my birthday! Throughout my life, birthdays have always been the best days. It doesn’t matter whose birthday it is—I just love them. Every day on Facebook, I make it a point to wish the birthday person the happiest birthday, often adding a note to “Celebrate YOU and Your Life!”
A Historical Perspective on Birthdays
As a passionate history enthusiast, sometimes referred to as a Professional Amateur Historian, I’m always curious about how traditions began and why they continue. So, when did Americans start celebrating birthdays?
Interestingly, it wasn’t until the 19th century—around 1860 to 1880—that middle-class Americans began to commonly celebrate birthdays. Nationwide birthday celebrations became a tradition only in the early 20th century. Even the song “Happy Birthday” isn’t much older than 100 years.
The Commercial Side of Birthdays
Without passing judgment, it’s clear that commercialism plays a significant role in birthdays, especially in America. Birthdays have become a business, from cards to gifts, creating significant revenue. And that’s great!
Honoring Those You Love
But beyond the commercial aspect, the best part of birthdays is honoring someone you love—a family member, friend, co-worker, or anyone you care about from the heart. In the past, I often shared a fun, silly poem with those I care about:
“Happy Birthday… Celebrate your Day of Birth…
Eat lots of Cake, don’t worry about your Girth!”
How silly! How fun! Many of my friends or recipients of this playful poem have told me it cheered them up, made them laugh, and brightened their day. Birthdays are special like that.
A Time to Honor Yourself
Your birthday is a unique opportunity to honor yourself. Each year on your “Birth-Day” is a milestone, a chance to celebrate all you’ve accomplished. It’s the perfect day not for judgment but for recognizing and accepting yourself unconditionally.
The Role of Experience in Shaping Our Lives
We all do the best we can with what we know—and with what we don’t know. Often, it’s the unknown that shapes our experiences, not because we aren’t smart or intelligent, but because life’s lessons sometimes come from what we haven’t yet learned.
At any age, especially in childhood, adults often gauge a child’s experiences through their lenses. But the child hasn’t had those experiences yet; they lack the inner resources to fully understand. That’s why it’s so crucial for adults to listen to children—really listen. This kind of interaction can help adults recall their own childhood experiences, whether someone listened to them or not, and how it felt.
Connecting to Yourself and Others
The feeling is the best connection to the past when the experience was positive and you felt valued. Conversely, emotions often serve as disconnected memories when the experience is negative or confusing. But this isn’t about judgment; everyone is doing their best with what they know.
Life is an extraordinary process. The more we view it as a progressive journey, the easier it becomes to stay connected—to ourselves and to others who resonate with us. And if some don’t resonate, that’s okay! It just means we’re on different wavelengths, and that’s perfectly fine, without blame or guilt.
The Power of Daily Birthdays
The more connected you are to yourself, the better your life becomes. You tap into your natural inner power, recognize the value of your life, and truly appreciate it.
So, What’s the Point?
The fabulous point is to make every day a Birth Day! Every day is an opportunity to “birth” your creativity, experiences, and the life you choose to live. See each day as a chance to gain knowledge and use that knowledge to benefit you.
Embrace your experiences, interactions, connections, and opportunities. Value yourself every day. Make each day a brilliant day to birth your creativity, implement your ideas, manifest your dreams, and actualize everything you are meant to be and do!
EVERY DAY IS YOUR “BIRTHDAY” TO BIRTHDAY YOUR LIFE!
Sherryism: “Happiest Birthday Ever to YOU! Celebrate Your Life Every Day!”