Embracing the Birthday

I am noticing a pattern developing with my birthdays. I seem to be enjoying them less and less as the years go on. And as you've probably guessed, I don't have anything against birthday cards, or of course being given a bit of extra special treatment - it's actually the age creeping up and up that I'm not too fond of (surprise surprise).

It's something you hear of all the time - men and women, usually over the age of 25, starting to complain about getting older. Then of course, if you have the nerve to whinge about the dwindling supply of your remaining twenties to someone who is older and has fare welled theirs, you can pick every time what they'll come out with: "Oh what are you going on about, you're only 'insert number here.'"

It's like that movie, In Time with Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried where when they turn 25, a clock is activated within them and starts ticking down to their eventual death.

So, imagine my surprise when my thirty-something workmate asked how old I was turning and when I told her 28, her eyes lit up, she gave a huge smile and said: "What a fantastic age, it's such a beautiful time. You get so much more of a self awareness and really start to know what you want. It's fantastic."

What an unusual response. I wasn't complaining, it was refreshing and positive, but this did raise a few questions for me. Are there ages that represent certain milestones, or is it simply based on every person's own journey and experiences?

I certainly believe in events being milestones - births, weddings, anniversaries, even your 18th and 21st - but an age like 28? Or perhaps something really special happened to my friend at this time of her life and that's why she recalls the age being such a pleasant one?

Either way, I know how her response made me feel and I choose to change the way I view birthdays from now on. If anyone younger than me is having a birthday, instead of give the token "you're so lucky you're so young" speech, I'd like to be more like her and remember the fondest memories that come with that age, the lessons I learnt and am glad to have received. Because shouldn't we all enjoy each moment to its fullest, and try and make milestones of every year? After all, now, this moment, right now, is the youngest we'll ever be!

So bring on 29... 30... 31... and the ages that will follow, because now I realise as my age creeps up, so too will my knowledge, experience, and most importantly, my memories.

Happy Birthday to me!