Birthdays. We have one every single year at the same time and let’s be real, they’re almost always a letdown (stick with me here).
We wake up on our birthdays expecting it to feel as magical and special as it did when we were 5. Breakfast in bed, surprise parties, all of our friends in one place, and that present we’ve been eyeing for months. But usually, we’re met with a few “happy birthday” texts, friends unable to escape their busy lives, and a pretty underwhelming day that leaves you with the lingering feeling of disappointment.
As the “planner” of most of my friend groups and my family, I tend to take special occasions into my own hands. There’s nothing I love more then curating a Pinterest board and hosting the most aesthetically pleasing dinner party you’ve ever been to. If you’re anything like me, and you also love to host, I’m sure you’d agree that the feeling of putting on a picture perfect event never gets old.
But what does get old (other than you on your birthday), is having to plan for yourself. Something about planning your own party and harassing your friends and family about their availability sucks the fun right out of a birthday. As the designated planner, I can’t help but wish someone else would take the reigns for just one day out of the year and make my birthday feel as magical as it did when I was 5.
Every year I tell myself to keep my expectations low. I will likely have to plan my own birthday, some people will not be able to make it, and I will probably cry myself to sleep at the thought of turning twenty-something. But unfortunately, every year I get my hopes up, call it the optimist in me.
This year though, as my birthday approaches, I realize it’s the first time I actually don’t have any expectations. I’ve made the dinner reservation, I’ve invited my loved ones, and I’ve decided that this birthday will be special no matter what. Not because anyone is throwing me an intricate party, or surprising me with an expensive gift, but because I’m still blessed beyond measure.
Aging is such a privilege I never wish to take for granted, and after the year I’ve had I feel blessed to have people who are going to show up to celebrate me (even if I did have to harass them for their availability), and even if I was the one who had to plan it.
So, if you’re like me and you tend to easily be disappointed by your own impossible expectations, let me remind you to stop looking for the things wrong and look for all the things right. You are one year older, one year wiser, and loved by so many people you probably don’t even realize. In fact, twenty-two is going to be my best year yet, I can feel it, and I’m going to celebrate it! There will be no birthday blues around here!
