Dates to Remember
I saw an interesting writing prompt the other day: "List ten of the most important dates in your life. (Your birthday doesn't count.)"
Well, maybe your birthday doesn't count, but birthdays are important dates in my life. In fact, I have two of them, the one my parents gave me and the one I chose for myself. The one my parents gave me is New Year's Eve, and I have to tell you that everyone remembers that date. I have never really liked it much. When I was young, it was too close to Christmas, and I always felt like my parents just held back one of my Christmas gifts to give me a week later. Later, when I got old enough to drink, it just got too crazy. As my friend's dad used to say: "It's amateur night." Everyone seems to be hell bent on getting knee-walking drunk and screaming into the night (or passing out) by the midnight hour. And don't even think about going out to dinner without paying premium--that is, if you remembered to make reservations a month earlier. No one is really safe from the insanity of New Year's Eve. Even if you try to stay home, you feel like crawling under your bed to hide from the stray bullets when the yokels grab their Saturday night specials and other handguns and shoot at the moon. (What goes up must come down, and more often than not, the newscasters' lead story becomes the innocents who get wounded--or worse--by the reckless celebration.)
My second birthday is the best. It is in July, and since I am usually on vacation, I can plan anything I choose. Last year I bought tickets to an Agatha Christie mystery at the Alley Theater and took ten of my closest friends. This year I bought myself 30 long stem roses and a card that said how much I am loved. I dressed to the nines, and my friend and I went to Morton's steakhouse where we dined. The menu consisted of mouth-watering beefsteak tomatoes with fresh bleu cheese dressing, 6 oz. Filet, and grilled asparagus. The waiter insisted we celebrate with the chocolate-filled chocolate "something" and vanilla bean ice cream. Omigod... imagine a miniature chocolate cake with thick warm chocolate syrup oozing from the middle. Duncan Hines will never touch my lips again.
My cousin has a second birthday, too. She was born on Dec. 26. Enough said. Her dad switched birthdays with her when she was small because even he recognized the unfairness of her having to compete with Jesus. After she grew up and her folks decided she was old enough to go back to her original birthday, she decided she'd just keep both. She always takes the day off from work on her second birthday and buys herself a hostess cupcake and puts a candle atop it and buys herself several cards and gifts that she has purchased during the year.
I'm telling you, having two birthdays is the only way to really take care of yourself. Everyone should have a special day that THEY choose as their very own day, and they should treat themselves very, very well that day and honor their magnificence. The point is, we should not be limited in the way we treat ourselves kindly, and I, for one, think we should find more ways to be good to ourselves so that we can spread that goodness to others who may not have the imagination, creativity and (okay I'll say it) the daring to celebrate themselves.
This is not a day for others to throw a party for you, or for others to tell you how dear you are, or for others to acknowledge your sweet existence. This is YOUR day and so it is up to YOU to take the time to cherish you.
In other words, take responsiblity for yourself and claim your time to be cherished by the one who will never leave you... YOU! I promise, you will make some wonderful memories for yourself.
Well, maybe your birthday doesn't count, but birthdays are important dates in my life. In fact, I have two of them, the one my parents gave me and the one I chose for myself. The one my parents gave me is New Year's Eve, and I have to tell you that everyone remembers that date. I have never really liked it much. When I was young, it was too close to Christmas, and I always felt like my parents just held back one of my Christmas gifts to give me a week later. Later, when I got old enough to drink, it just got too crazy. As my friend's dad used to say: "It's amateur night." Everyone seems to be hell bent on getting knee-walking drunk and screaming into the night (or passing out) by the midnight hour. And don't even think about going out to dinner without paying premium--that is, if you remembered to make reservations a month earlier. No one is really safe from the insanity of New Year's Eve. Even if you try to stay home, you feel like crawling under your bed to hide from the stray bullets when the yokels grab their Saturday night specials and other handguns and shoot at the moon. (What goes up must come down, and more often than not, the newscasters' lead story becomes the innocents who get wounded--or worse--by the reckless celebration.)
My second birthday is the best. It is in July, and since I am usually on vacation, I can plan anything I choose. Last year I bought tickets to an Agatha Christie mystery at the Alley Theater and took ten of my closest friends. This year I bought myself 30 long stem roses and a card that said how much I am loved. I dressed to the nines, and my friend and I went to Morton's steakhouse where we dined. The menu consisted of mouth-watering beefsteak tomatoes with fresh bleu cheese dressing, 6 oz. Filet, and grilled asparagus. The waiter insisted we celebrate with the chocolate-filled chocolate "something" and vanilla bean ice cream. Omigod... imagine a miniature chocolate cake with thick warm chocolate syrup oozing from the middle. Duncan Hines will never touch my lips again.
My cousin has a second birthday, too. She was born on Dec. 26. Enough said. Her dad switched birthdays with her when she was small because even he recognized the unfairness of her having to compete with Jesus. After she grew up and her folks decided she was old enough to go back to her original birthday, she decided she'd just keep both. She always takes the day off from work on her second birthday and buys herself a hostess cupcake and puts a candle atop it and buys herself several cards and gifts that she has purchased during the year.
I'm telling you, having two birthdays is the only way to really take care of yourself. Everyone should have a special day that THEY choose as their very own day, and they should treat themselves very, very well that day and honor their magnificence. The point is, we should not be limited in the way we treat ourselves kindly, and I, for one, think we should find more ways to be good to ourselves so that we can spread that goodness to others who may not have the imagination, creativity and (okay I'll say it) the daring to celebrate themselves.
This is not a day for others to throw a party for you, or for others to tell you how dear you are, or for others to acknowledge your sweet existence. This is YOUR day and so it is up to YOU to take the time to cherish you.
In other words, take responsiblity for yourself and claim your time to be cherished by the one who will never leave you... YOU! I promise, you will make some wonderful memories for yourself.
posted by Joyce, of course at 8:25 PM
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