Recently, I had a birthday party. For a change, it was for…myself!
When was the last time you had a birthday party for yourself, Mom? I’m not talking about the mile stone birthdays, like your 25th, 50th, or 75th to which you invite everyone you’ve ever met in your life to celebrate the fact that you’re still breathing. No, I’m talking about an ordinary, run-of-the-mill birthday like mine was recently.
I don’t think I’ve had a birthday party for myself since I was a kid. I’m pretty sure it was an after-school event with some snacks, cake, and games like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, not like today’s major productions which I’ve already blogged about. In any case, I wouldn’t even know how I could get anyone to come to my birthday party, because, you know, everyone’s busy planning parties for their own kids. Good thing my birthday happened to land on a Friday this time, because our church small group meets regularly at our home on Friday nights. We’re talking built-in audience. My husband worked in cahoots with one of our members to make certain that someone brought a cake. Actually, there were two, and one of them had my name on it!
Sure, my husband and kids always take me out to dinner for my birthday each year, notifying the server discreetly to ensure that a bunch of off-pitch workers would come out of the kitchen at some point in the evening to sing something like this:
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
The song, as with the on-the-house dessert, would be quite generic, though very much appreciated. And, according to the single candle on said desserts, I’m perpetually a one-year old.
But at my recent celebration, the cake specifically said, “Happy Birthday Junko,” courtesy of my friend Sandi. We still couldn’t fit all the candles to represent my age on that cake, as big as it was, so we went for “symbolic,” though more than one candle, for sure. And, all my friends sang to me this very personalized birthday song:
Happy birthday, to you
Happy birthday, to you
Happy birthday, dear JUNKO [dramatic pause here]
Happy birthday to you! [and some bluesy "...and many moooore"]
Oh, how delightful! I felt so special, and my friends and family made me feel so important.
And then I got it — that’s why kids love birthday parties!
Every child deserves a birthday party. I don’t think it’s a narcissistic thing at all to have people celebrate the very day on which you were born. It’s a very basic desire in life, and we parents love to shower our own kids with parties and gifts. Unfortunately, not all kids around the world have families who can afford to throw birthday parties, and my heart breaks for them.
That’s why I love the humanitarian organization World Vision. You see, every year, World Vision throws a gigantic birthday party for every child they work with. Many areas do monthly parties for all children born that month. These kids all feel cherished and loved, just like I did at my own party.
World Vision sends us birthday cards to fill out and to return so that they can forward to our sponsored children (we have four) a birthday greeting from us each year. I just love hearing about the big parties they throw each year! You can learn about them by clicking on this link here. You can also watch a short video explaining what they do. And, if you feel so moved, you can give a small donation to help these children in impoverished areas receive a gift at the next birthday party.
(And, by the way, I don’t receive any kick-backs from World Vision for telling you about this. I just so believe in what they do that I had to tell you about it!)
So, what do you say? Shall we celebrate your birthday this year, Mom? Join me and let’s do it.
Happy Birthday to YOU!