Breathe In, Breathe Out

In a few days I will mark the beginning of another year on this planet. Breathing in and breathing out mostly... with a few other things to keep me entertained and well fed.

I've been thinking about this day coming up. Been thinking about how we tend to change the way we celebrate them. When we're kids, every birthday is a celebration. Some times they're bigger celebrations than others... but there's usually presents, friends, games and junk food involved. Also, we're always in the present... not looking at the past or the future... there's too much going on in the now to think about anythiing else!

At some point in our lives, we trade the junk food for alcohol (or other substances), trade the games for parties, clubs, etc., and sometimes lose the presents (and sometimes friends) altogether. As this trend continues, we also start to ignore some of these birthdays and start celebrating only the ones that society has given some arbitrary meaning to ("lordy, lordy, look who's 40" or "the big 5-O"). We also stop living in the present. It becomes more of a look at what we've done in the past, what's still left to do... and that there's now less time to do it in.

Why do we do this? There's only one day less than there was the day before the birthday. It's not like it sneaks up on us. Why do we stop celebrating our lives on the planet with our friends the same as we did when we were kids? I guess we're older now... wiser... busier... more responsibilities... in a nutshell: "too old for that shit."

Bullshit.

Not only do I plan to never get "too old for this shit," I plan to reverse the whole process. :) The older I get, the younger I'll act. It should be a lot more interesting having been through it once already now. Now I get to try it in reverse. :)

I am honored by all those that call me friend. Honored by those that celebrate my life as I celebrate theirs. If I could have one birthday wish, it would be that everyone who celebrates with me leaves all their cares behind just for that one day and lives in the present ... myself included because I'm just as guilty of the travesties I mentioned above. That would be just fine... no... it would be perfect. :)