What does your birthday mean to you?

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday - I'm still in my mid-50's! LOL. Some may say that I am now an old geezer (but, not me), some believe birthdays are just another day (I disagree), some may say that I am wiser (Which I hope is true), while still others may say CELEBRATE YOU! I truly believe that each of us deserves to be celebrated, especially on our special day.

During my younger years, I recall my birthdays being purely celebratory. I enjoyed the presents, the cake and ice cream, and an excuse to escape the ordinary. However, for the past five years, I’ve realized that I have become more reflective in nature. During my birthday week, I have taken the time to acknowledge the passage of time, personal growth and the varied experiences I have had.

This year was a bit different, however. I didn’t think about my accomplishments nor any growth I've attained, I just enjoyed my day. After church, a good friend of mine came over and my husband and I enjoyed a nice lunch with her, coupled with the delicious German sweet chocolate cake that she and my husband had made. Afterward, we went to the Pickleball courts and played till our hearts were content. Jesus, pickle Ball, cake and family and friends, what a great day!

Interestingly, as I think about the meaning of birthdays, I recognize that society places an emphasis on meaningful milestones, especially the milestone birthdays, such as 30, 40, and 50. I would imagine it is because they mark the start of a new decade and typically cause us to reflect more deeply on accomplishments and future aspirations. I don’t know about you, but each of these ‘milestone birthdays’ didn’t really affect me one way or another, unless of course I don't remember them. LOL.

What birthday traditions do you enjoy?

Throughout my childhood, my mom would make each of us girls our favorite cake for our birthdays. Mine happened to be German sweet chocolate; and it still is! LOL. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I don’t have a lot of memories from my childhood, but I do remember that my mom would go out of her way to make us feel extra special on our birthdays.

Note: For those of you that enjoy a good German sweet chocolate cake, many of the recipes are fairly similar. However, this year my sweet friend roasted the pecans before adding them to the frosting and it was a game changer! It had such a velvety smooth texture, with a burst of flavor in each bite. Yum Yum! I am salivating just thinking about the last few pieces that are left.

I will leave you with one of my favorite birthday quotes “You’re older today then yesterday, but younger than tomorrow, Happy Birthday!“