Birthdays in the Modern Era

Yesterday was my 31st birthday and, as a present to myself, I decided to start a blog. It's truthfully more like a present to my husband. This may help free him of listening to *all* of my rambling on subjects about which he just doesn't care. Happy Birthday to you, Paul.

Incidentally, yesterday was also my brother's birthday. I've noticed more and more that people respond to their birthdays along one of several veins. There are those who really have to make a big stink about it. For them, something's not quite right in the universe unless they have the whole world singing to them. Then there are those who have moms and grandmas and girlfriends MAKING a big deal about it, but who would prefer to fly under the radar and forget that they're growing any older. There are also those who have enough life experience to know not to have any expectations whatsoever. I'm not there yet.

For me, birthdays have always been supremely bittersweet. On the one hand, a secondary definition of adulthood is just that - bittersweet. My family always takes it to the next level . . . like the birthday on which my parents told me they were divorcing. Or when my brother, who shares the same birthday, picked a fight with me a week prior and we ended up not speaking that year. I believe that was the same year that a good friend and I spent the day at Joe's on Weed Street in Chicago watching football. His car was towed and we had to walk through the ghetto to pick it up. Back at the bar the power went out in the middle of the games. I ended the day by getting sick on the side of the road in front of a police officer. No one cared. Then there was the time my fiance had dumped me three weeks earlier and my family had the nerve to order food from a place of my brother's choosing. I ended up sitting by myself at my mother's house. Sorry guys, I'm not eating Bennigan's on my birthday.

I'm really not looking for sympathy. This year was bittersweet in a way that's a little too personal to share for my first blog, and yet I had a fantastic day. I wish every day could be like yesterday. I learned a couple things. First, I have an awesome husband who knows the perfect mix of how to care for me. Secondly, in these technological times, we all have a zillion Facebook friends wishing us Happy Birthday, making it impossible for us to feel sorry for ourselves. Finally, as a fairly new mom, I learned what it was like to not feel guilt for the first time in a long time. I sat on the computer, watched tv, and was generally very lazy all day. It felt fabulous. I would encourage all moms around the globe to try it. Make a conscious effort to relieve yourself of guilt for one whole day. Just try it. You'll live longer. Now if my toddler would give me a few minutes to catch up with all those wonderful old friends on Facebook, I could continue the buzz.

That's all I have for now. This is going to be a great year. 31 is my lucky number, after all. I'll leave you with the Fun Fact of the Day. Did you know that they White House Communications Director, (Anita Hun, I mean Dunn,) counts Mao Tse-tung as one of her two favorite political philosophers to whom she looks for wisdom? Now that's leadership! If you're not sure of who exactly Chairman Mao is, there's a great book called Safely Home by Randy Alcorn that spells it out nicely. Make sure you tell your friends.

Kelsey

"No natural love of the heart is safe unless the human heart has been satisfied by God first."
- Oswald Chambers