Birthdays: Tell Me Again, Why Do I Need Another One?
Posted: Tuesday, January 25, 2011
by Linda LaVoire
I am going to be celebrating (and I use this word sarcastically) my 50th birthday on February 22. I tell myself that this is ok. I'll officially be able to join the local 'Red Hat Club', which I always thought was soooo cute! Now that I'm here, it's not so cute anymore. Why should this new number bother me so much? I don't know. Some other milestones throughout the years have given me the same feeling of dread. Thirty was especially traumatic for me. This was the age, that as a youth, I had always attributed to the older generation. How foolish was that thought?! What I would give to be able to rewind back to 30 again.
I have to say, my 40th birthday did not give me that same feeling that 30 had but I still wanted to begin counting backward. I try my best to not 'celebrate' my birthdays. I do not need reminders that I am just getting older every day. I manage to handle my age fairly well on a day to day basis but birthdays are just not good days for me anymore. I can normally hide on that day and avoid socializing but this year I fear my husband may want to make a big deal out of it. After all, it is a milestone. I hope he doesn't buy me a gift, for I fear I may clonk him over the head with it before I can stop myself! I would hate to do that, he's such a sweet, kind man.
I can only pray that by the time I reach 60 I will have resigned myself to the fact that life goes on and I should just relax and go with the flow. But my track record has proven that wisdom does not out-weigh foolish dread.
On my birthday this year, don't wish me Happy Birthday... wish me luck! (And, someone please come get my husband. Take him to play some golf or something! It may save him a nasty bumb on the noggin.)
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)
How can you be fifty? Good Grief! And you are the baby! I only brought you and your mother home from the hospital about 6 months or so ago. And I only turned fifty a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, at fifty, age leaves two streaks of black rubber as it peels out heading towards the century mark. Reminds me of those drag racers with their front wheels at least 15 feet in front the driver. And you can see his head snap back as he let's the thing go. I'm still hollering WHOA! and pulling back on the reins.
With these days whizzing by, I know February 22 will have gone before my senility will allow me to remember it once more. So happy birthday...I've loved you now for 49 years , 11 months and 4 days. Daddy
(Are you sure the age you mentioned was not meaning George Washington?)Thanks Daddy! Yeah, I've actually been smelling the rubber burning for a few years already. :) Love you too! Linda
Smiled the whole time I read this....I can identify...when I turned 40, I went into mourning big time. My birthday was on the 1st of June, but I didn't open any gifts for 3 months, nor would I answer the phone at first.....in late August, my wife finally opened them...most were ties and shirts that she needed to iron to get ready for the start of school...that's when SHE opened my cards and letters too,... Since then, a few nastly health issues has taught me to appreciate the days much more...but actual birthdays still do not bring happiness to this 58 yr. old - well done again...I enjoy your style and your theme selections.Thanks again Dave for the kind words. I'm glad I can bring a smile to someone's day! I've learned (from my daddy and from life experience) that as long as I have humor in my life all the sour days (like birthdays) go down a lot smoother! :) Linda
Well Linda, I turned 62 my last birthday but believe me the older I get the better I feel. I enjoyed reading your article.Thanks David! I hope I can say the same thing at 62. It gives me encouragement that you say it. :) Linda
Never fear Linda- When you turn 60 you'll just be getting your second wind...I remember it well... Cute article- enjoyed it- Always- EllaElla, thank you for reading my article and I'm really flattered that you enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to a second wind. :-) Linda
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