[guest post] birthday perspective

Hi!!  This is a post from a note that my husband shared with our loved ones recently after his 2014 birthday experience.  It was really touching.  I got his permission to share it with you... so here it is.  Perspective.

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Hello friends and family!

Regarding my recent birthday... if you will indulge me for a couple of minutes.  For most of my adulthood I have not celebrated my birthdays (for various reasons that could become their own individual blog posts - attention avoidance, birthday date typo, low emotional IQ, etc, etc).

I am officially at midlife now.  

And that BIG REGRET MONSTER is starting to grow to what could end up being a massive size at the rate it's going.  Once fact is certain now: I don’t want to get to the end of the road and look back and think to myself “why didn’t I enjoy my birthdays more???”  Was it because of the ultra sad 'Office Space' birthday song rendition that scarred me?  Maybe. 

The reasons I have been telling myself for all these years seemed so valid and PRACTICAL up to now:

1.  I don’t want/need the extra attention. 
2.  Planning another birthday party is too much work. 
3.  I am an introvert.
4.  Whatever I want, I have the means to buy it myself - a super practical, yet extremely boring and isolating way to go.
5.  I feel like i'm burdening others.

I have recently been witnessing how much fun little kids have through my nieces and my friends kids.  They play and run around, and squeal and laugh and enjoy their leisure time so much!  Everything is so new and amazing for them.  I wish a lot more adults lived the same way - INCLUDING MYSELF.

So just like you were a kid again, it is my/your responsibility to enjoy our birthdays to the maximum extent possible.  Even if you happen to have an utterly horrible year, you can count on at least your birthday.  You are entitled to get birthday good wishes and LOVE sent your way for AT LEAST ONE DAY a year!

Even if you are in Federal-pound-you-in-the-ass prison, I guarantee that your birthday will be celebrated in some way, shape, or form.  And I touched on the mid-life part for a second, but it has really shaped my FEELING SELF a lot lately.  I am trying to leave the 'thinking self' out of this birthday scenario.

My goal, from this point on is to TRULY ENJOY my birthdays as much as I humanly can.  What is the point of it all if you don't have a COMMUNITY of your friends and family to celebrate with you for at least one day a year???

I am a total emotional imbecile and now I finally get it: it's about sharing these important moments in your life.  I thought about it, and I heard it, and understood that message for long time in my hard-headed gray matter, but never really FELT it.  And to FEEL IT is to really LIVE IT as Arry has taught me well these last few years.

From here on out I am fully dedicated to August 31st. (Long story about that date that is better told over a few beers.)

So THANK YOU so very much to all of you for contributing into my manly new grill!  With the help of Arry's new company (www.GiftStarter.co) I hope to be contributing to a fantastic gift for all of my friends and family birthdays from now until we all finally take that permanent dirt nap...

Thanks again and much LOVE to all of you!!!

-dhy 

p.s.  and for those that missed the experience, here's the link:  https://www.giftstarter.co/giftstart?gs-id=23