A Celebration to remember.

Hello from Patricia Davids.

I talking today about birthdays. It isn't too far off the Christmas theme of this month because, after all, Christmas is a birthday celebration.

Happy, happy birthday, Josh. Grandma loves you.
Today is my grandson's 19th birthday.

It's hard to believe that chubby baby boy with the most adorable dimple is all grown up. Where did the years go? Each year on his birthday, he and his family come to my house and decorate my Christmas tree. I hope the tradition continues for many years.

My own birthday was back in October. Everyone asked if I was going to have a party since it was the big 6-0.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't tolerate the idea of celebrating. It wasn't because I dislike the idea of getting old. Heaven's no. I don't mind being a senior citizen. The reason I couldn't bring myself to celebrate was because my husband passed away two months before his 60th birthday. It didn't feel right to celebrate reaching 60 when he never did. My birthday was incredibly sad.
Birthdays are like that. Some are great, some not so great. Being 10, being 21, being 30, those were memorable birthdays. When I turned 10, my mother made the most beautiful angel food cake. It had a Barbie doll in the center and the cake was decorated in pink and white to look like her skirt. I'd never seen anything as pretty as that cake was.

When I turned 21, I barely missed being hit by a huge truck as I was turning into the parking lot of a liquor store on my way to buy my first bottle of booze. It was a sobering reminder to stay sober. I've never forgotten that scare.
When I turned 30, I thought, wow, what is the big deal? This is a piece of cake. Being 30 is great. It wasn't until I turned 31 that I thought, Oh God, I'm over the hill. I'm getting OLD! Of course, looking back, that was silly. 31 is a long, long way from old. 61 is a long way from old.

When I turn 61 next year, I'll have a big, big party. If I'm lucky enough to still be here.
So tell me about a birthday you remember vividly. Was it a good one or a bad one? What birthday traditions do you have in your family?

4 comments:

Becky A said...

Hello, Miss Pat,
It's sad to say but I haven't been able to remember even one birthday that I would call memorable. At least not in a good way. Might be why I'm not big on celebrating mine.
I used to enjoy decorating cakes for my kids though. I wanted their day to be special. Through the years I've made a Holly Hobbie, Train engine, Cookie Monster and Clown. The rest escape the old memory banks!
My last two birthdays have been real downers too. That's why I've decided to quit having them. I've turned back the clock to 29 and I'm staying there. I don't care how many wrinkles deny it!
December 14th would have been my husbands 56th BD. You dreaded 60 because your husband never made it. My husband quit having birthdays so I did too. Just not for the same reasons :)
Have a blessed and wonderful Christmas as we celebrate the only birthday that really matters. That of Christ, our Lord.

Reese Mobley said...

Happy birthday, Josh!

I was born on my mom's birthday so I've always shared. We had a big celebration a year ago when she turned 75 and I turned . . . well, let's just say I had a birthday, too.

Melissa Robbins said...

My most memorable birthday was my 21st. My friend, Angie planned a surprise party and even though all my friends stood outside the restaurant, I was clueless that it was a surprise party for me. The funny thing was that the restaurant was closed, so I had ten people staring at me to make a decision where to eat at 10 pm. I chose a 24 hour diner and we all had a blast. Even the guy I had a crush on all through college showed up. That meant the world to me.

Joan Vincent said...

I was rather surprised when only a few memories came to mind about my late October birthday other than we always have Halloween decorations up! One was that I was thoroughly convinced I wouldn't live to see 40--God showed me i shouldn't be so presumptuous! And my 50th when my husband and kids gave me a big surprise party with a basket of 50 pink roses. The others are that I almost always have a half of a cake as my husband's birthday is 3 days before mine. My daughter-in-law, bless her, sees to it I have my own cake since she joined our family two years ago.