Birthdays

why do we celebrate birthday? it's just another day anyway. life doesn't stop for you no matter how big a deal you think it is to you. you still have to go to work/school, you still have to deal with unpleasant colleagues and clients, you still have to do house chores, you still have to squeeze in the train with all other passengers, you still have to rush the unfinished assignment, and you still have to sit for the finals until 8pm coz it was scheduled so.
so...what's so special about birthdays?

that...my friend, is how i've always thought about birthdays. how my upbringing shaped this belief.

reading jene's birthday entry reinforced my belief. but i also have a new revelation.

we don't celebrate birthdays for ourselves. we celebrate birthdays for our loved ones.

that we are still alive and kicking. that we've grown for another year (hopefully more mature). that we appreciate staying alive. [oklah..not so dramatic but you get my point]

parents celebrate their child's birthday coz they feel blessed to have him/her in their lives. they want their child to feel that he/she is special, that he/she matters to them. same goes for siblings and family.

friends celebrate friends' birthdays coz it's a cause for celebration. a get-together time to have fun and not worry about life for a moment. you think it's that simple?
friends do it coz it shows that we care. that you matter to us. that we are happy to have you in our lives.

so instead of making us the sole focus of birthday celebration, why not we dedicate birthday celebrations to our loved ones?

to parents, for nurturing us, for tolerating our insolence, for all the heartbreak they suffered because of us, and for their love.
to family, for being a constant in our lives, for being a support, for loving us no matter what.
to friends, for being there for us, for tolerating our quirkiness, for caring, for being a friend.
to others who mean a lot to us in our lives, for being there in our lives.

but then again, we have other days to celebrate for them, don't we?
father's day, mother's day, friendship day...their own birthdays.

then again...why so mafan? just celebrate all in one day cannot ar?

well.....they need to feel special too.

who says birthdays are just about hoohah-ing, "Happy Birthday" song marathons, birthday cards, cakes, and presents?