Let's start with the facts. I love birthdays. I think that birthdays are a fantastic opportunity to gather the people you love around you, whether in person or in spirit and just celebrate life. While I also believe that should be more than a good enough reason to maximize the fun, I also believe that getting older is a gift and worth recognizing with gratitude. At the risk of being that annoying girl who works with cancer patients and persists in waxing sentimental about life and the meaning therein, I also love that it's another year. I had friends who did not make it to twenty-seven and I refuse to feign depression over adding another year to my count. I will celebrate and I will do it alone or with anyone who wants to come with me.
For reasons that I cannot understand, the reasonable nature of this philosophy is lost on many. The almost automatic assumption of most people is that Birthday Month is meant to suck the life out of one's friends and families (much like weddings, if you want to believe what you see on TLC.) Last year, I combated this campaign of misinformation and misunderstanding with a guest blog by the founder of Birthday Month herself, La Presidenta del Club de Divertida, Ashleigh. Rather than try to improve upon her Birthday Month = Dessert metaphor, I will simply remind you of her infinite wisdom:
"Birthday month is not about other people doing things for you. Don't misunderstand - birthday month welcomes all who wish to join in the celebration. But birthday month isn't about the party so much as it is about person. It is about stopping to find out what you'd truly like - and using the month of your birth as a fine excuse for getting it or trying it or doing it or not doing anything."
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