Well, are we?

Are we supposed to grow out of birthdays? I mean, the cake and the gifts and the outright all-about-me stuff? I know there must be some psychobabble that suggests that we move on from the selfish phase to a more global attitude of we're-all-in-this-together phase, but a birthday just takes it all back to you in one big puff of a candle. And....I like it. It seems a lot my friends like it, too. And a lot of my friends are women. But many of my women friends are married to men. I am married to a man. And the men...well, they don't see the big deal and well, do you see where this is headed? Now that I think of this, I should talk to my women friends who are married to women to see if there is a difference. More of an acceptance of, "Hell yes! We will celebrate YOU from sun up to sun down and extend the celebration for a whole week if need be!" But I digress.

I tend to think we have it a bit backwards in this culture. Kids are already selfish. Our lives already revolve around them. Perhaps we should inverse the trend- start and stay very small right through to 21. Then, when some stripes have been earned, start slowly pouring it on. Because isn't that kind of what it's about? We've made it this far? We've survived some things?Achieved some things? We want to, just for a few moments, be happy that we are here and revel in what we have become and look to the future with excitement? The celebration is a pause that let's us do that. Whether anyone else is in agreement with me doesn't matter. Because one of the greatest parts about getting older is claiming what you want and knowing you can get it for yourself. Now that feels like the best gift of all.