Birthdays... Boon, or Bane?

When we are young, we think of birthdays as a boon - a cause for celebration and, of course, we all look forward to getting loads of presents :-). Mind you, that depends on the presents too! I mean, a pair of gloves knitted by an aunt, or an item of clothing that is totally NOT in style, would not do much to raise enthusiasm levels :-p.

Growing up, I always remember birthdays as being the main occasions when we could get loads of new books to read - and all three of us being bookworms, we were thrilled to pieces with our new books. Who needs new clothes when one can have new books????

But how about as we get older? Are birthdays still a boon? Or do we see each birthday as another unwanted milestone in our headlong journey to OLD AGE (gasp, horrors, shudder !!)?

Today is my sister's birthday, and tomorrow is my sister-in-laws birthday. We are a family that LOVES to celebrate each others birthdays - and presents can run the whole range from clothes, to jewellery, to meals, to books, to music, etc, etc, etc. So today I am treating my sister to a spa pedicure. My niece is treating my sis-in-law to a manicure/pedicure, and my sis-in-law is under strict instructions not to open my present to her (which has been with her for a week now) till TOMORROW Hehehehe.. I am cruel, I know. And we will follow all that with a nice lunch. Tonight my mum is cooking a birthday dinner for my sister, to which, of course, everyone else in the family is also invited :-). TWO opportunities to stuff our faces today. Sheesh! Did I mention I need to go on a diet? Well, believe it or not, I am serious this time.... starting tomorrow HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (Yes, I can hear you all say, PROCRASTINATOR - tomorrow never comes!). We'll see, we'll see :-D

OK, so back to my question: Are birthdays a boon or a bane for you?

For me, despite getting older, I still think birthdays are a boon. An opportunity for people to take more of an effort to get together and catch up, as we all live such busy lives it is very very easy to lose track of our friends and family. So, everyone, whether you believe in birthday celebrations or not, make some TIME for your loved ones. I have learnt, to my sadness, that we do not have our loved ones forever.

Till next time...