Sunday, September 08, 2013

CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS

Birthday is a significant day in our life that we always longed prepared for and waited every year.  This day means party, and in most cases it is celebration of festive foods, drinks and fun.  It’s only once a year, we can occasionally pumper ourselves with these birthday foodstuff.  And besides it’s our big day and we’re merely deserved to be indulged.  It’s the only day in a year we can act self-absorbed without oppose from our friends.  So celebrate the day you want it.  After all, it’s all our preparation, expenses, hardship and satisfaction.

But on my points of view, personally I don’t like birthday festivity.  I can toss a party to a family or friends but for my own celebration, I would rather not.  I found it superfluous which I don’t think need to be done every year.  In the past I may have done celebration with friends but they were purely for bonding and comradeship purposes only and not exactly intended as thanksgiving.  It is because I prefer do my thanks in private and solemn.


My parents raised us in very simple life, and we were trained not to crave for parties and celebration.  During birthdays, I remember only in some years we prepared foods to share but most of the years we do not have grandiose celebration or even a simple “pancit”, or ice cream and cake that delight every children.  Financial dearth and saving were the top wherefore but more than that, our life living in simplicity transcends over the top of us.


Since then up to now, I am not hunger after these celebrations.  On personal level, I don’t believe in choosing special foods for the day that meant giving long life.  I am not criticizing others’ opinion and practice but instead I’m just speaking out my own thought and desire.  I am sorry if I offended those who strongly adhere to the tradition of throwing brilliant feast but then again I am reiterating that this opinion goes to mine only:  it’s my two-cents and it’s for my situation.  Just pursue what you think is right.  But what I really found foul is celebrating it by all means to the point of just completing the celebration in spite of lack of budget.


I am not just really a follower of this tradition and I am not fond of celebration. There are other ways of giving thanks and sharing of blessings rather than fanfare and grandstanding, and I am into that.  I have already pen stories showing positive values and dated them on my birthdates to signify it.  In this way, I can share to my readers the given talent I have and believing somehow reach out and touch other’s lives.  There are other ways of celebrating birthdays.  You can stage a unique way of valuing your natal day like staging activities for your friends.  It is not only through foods and drinks you can show your gratefulness.


I admit, it’s a shared world and we’re not living alone for ourselves only.  And I know we should not always look at our own interest and perception only, we need to consider other people who want to be with us during the special day.  This is the mere fact why I anticipate calling a party in the future for my natal day, but if I will do it is definitely for friendship.  I will not oblige myself without guilt because at the end of all of these, it is only myself know how I really thank and share my blessings.





CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS

By Alex V. Villamayor

September 7, 2013

No comments: