Birthdays are the one day a year that every little kid looks forward to, when family and friends come together to celebrate who you are and the accomplishments you’ve made over the year. You get presents, cake, a party, and plenty of time with loved ones. Whatever it is that you enjoy most, birthdays are a staple of our society and it is always an enjoyable time for any kid.
With that being said, why do birthdays feel less and less important as we get older? Our attitude towards birthdays tends to shift in the wrong direction and we actually start to become upset when the date looms.
There are a few reasons why:
Of course, there’s the most sinister of reasons. As we get older, the idea of death becomes more imminent – not to rain on your parade, but it is something that people start to think about. Now, I know anything can happen and life is very unexpected, but the older we get, the more we tend to think about it. As your age gets bigger, the number of years you have left gets smaller.
Another reason is that we begin to understand the importance of people over presents. The older we get, the less we care about presents, let’s be honest. In my case, the fact that I can have friends and family around for my birthday means a ton more than material things. The value of presents declines and the joy we get out of those isn’t the same as when we were young. However, it’s nice to get a treat from people from time to time, don’t get me wrong!
Further, as we entered our twenties, our lives became much more hectic and our busy lives take over. I’m not going to lie, there have been some years where my birthday has crept up and I didn’t even realize it. We get so involved in our daily lives that we forgot about these important events. Especially since we’ve had so many birthdays in the past!
Lastly, our birthdays become less special because we become less selfish about “our day” and get just as much joy from the excitement of children. The delight surrounding a child’s birthday is much more fun than celebrating my own. Plus, our own birthdays require planning that we never had to worry about when we were kids!
No matter how old you are, birthdays are always fun. But the value of birthdays tends to change the older you are. Either way, being around friends, family and the ones you love are what make it a great day and celebrating life is something special in itself. So, kick your shoes off and enjoy, my friends! Happy birthday to you!
What are you doing for your birthdays, twenty-somethings? Let us know in the comments below!
About the Author
Keenyn graduated from NAIT Business School where she majored in Marketing and Advertising. She enjoys sports, photography, and writing. She hopes to make a positive impact in a company through her expertise and ethics.
Website: Keensider.blogspot.ca