Blogmas 2: December Birthdays; Life is Worth Celebrating

I just discovered a blogging tradition called Blogmas, where bloggers post an entry per day during the month of December through Christmas, all related to Christmas. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do it, so I made a list of topics. I was able to come up with enough, so here goes.

I’m starting this a day late – December 2^nd. Today is my half birthday, so I’d like to talk about December birthdays.

My brother was born on December 15, and my mom’s birthday is five days later on December 20^th. Of course, Christmas falls an additional five days later, on December 25^th. My birthday is in June (exactly six months from today, June 2^nd) so I’ve never had to worry about my birthday being forgotten in lieu of Christmas.

Last year, I contributed to a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends, whose birthday falls on December 29^th. It was so much fun for me, because I truly love birthdays. He was staying in our home at the time, until he was able to buy a house (which he has since achieved); I decorated the bathroom mirror with dry erase marker, hung dangling stars from his doorway, and hung my happy birthday banner in the house while he slept the night before. He was pleased, I think, but taken aback – according to him, his birthday has been overlooked and mediocre for years.

My half birthday falls today, and it’s one of the many days I take the opportunity to celebrate. I am up for celebrating life at any opportunity. My birthday or yours, half-birthdays, anniversaries. Life itself is worth celebrating. I decided this when I realized that I could have died by now, in fact, there was a time when that was what I wanted. Today, I choose life.

I am 29 and a half on this day, a mere six months from my thirtieth birthday. It seems to me that thirty is something everyone around me dreads, but I’m excited. My thirties will be fantastic. So will the second half of my 29^th year, starting today, while I’m on vacation in Virginia. I will make sure of it.