CONSCIOUSNESS REPORT #7
Well, I was trying to come up with something to write about for this thing when I decided to just go with what's right around the corner: my birthday! (woohoo!) Tomorrow I'm turning 24. There are so many things to talk about when it comes to birthdays. Growing up I always made such a big deal out of them, I guess I still do. But more in the sense that I make sure everyone knows that it's coming. I don't generally do anything for them, I just like to have people be aware.
Then I've always had friends who basically hid in a dark, warm corner for the duration of their birthdays. I could never understand what they were afraid of. Ok, getting older can be a bit of shock but I'm completely looking forward to it. I've always been friends with kids who were older than me, everyone I work with is substantially older than me (and they make sure to remind me of it, often) so I've never been afraid of age. I actually always remember embracing it.
I was also always brought up with a really good view of age. I remember my mother telling me when I was younger that 30 was her best year ever. And then later telling me 40 was. To me getting older always seemed very positive. I respected my elders and understood that they knew more than me, had experienced more than me and I couldn't wait to get there. Wow I must have been such a dork!
Then again I'm only 24, so really what age do I have to be worried about? I'm not even a quarter of a century - wow it just sounds so much older when you put it that way...Everyone is telling me to wait until I hit 25, that one will get me bad. I don't know, I feel like I always have a year to prepare that when it actually gets to the birthday it's kind of anticlimactic.
I suppose I also have a slightly skewed vision of age because of the community I was brought up in. Pretty much everyone I went to Yeshiva with is married and most have babies by now. To put it into perspective - Two of my cousins are the same age as me, we're each a month apart. The one born in December is pregnant with her second child, the one born in January is pregnant with her third. Living in this environment can kind of give you a warped idea of what is expected of you at what age. I'm pretty much reaching "old maid" status in the community, especially now that I broke up with my boyfriend. As long as you're dating someone and that relationship can be seen as turning into a marriage, its basically like you're married. I almost feel like I just ended a two year marriage.
But back to birthdays! Doesn't age just seem like something inevitable by now? Why be afraid of it when its a day that completely revolves around you! Ok, now I just sound self centered. But you know what it's my birthday god damnit and I'm allowed to think the world revolves around me for one day. Ok, a week - I usually go with a birthday week...
Comments (2)
Arielle--
Your blog made me laugh because it so reminded me of me. Is it selfish to want a whole day all to yourself? Absolutely not . . . after all, look at all the other days that are not about you at all. In our family we do birthday weekends where each of the kids get whatever dinner they want (believe me there have been some weird combinations), a special breakfast, very special cake--homemade and elaborately decorated (my daughter--December birthday--once had an igloo cake decorated with marshmallows, twizzler trees, coconut snow, etc.) and the whole weekend is about them--they pick the movie for movie night, sit where they want in the car, etc.
Sometimes I think we are setting them up for huge disappointment later in life when no one makes a fuss over their birthday. . . but then again, a birthday is the one time a year where people expect you to toot your own horn. . . I think it's when you start wearing a party hat and carry balloons and a huge banner proclaiming it that you begin to get carried away . . .
If you've restrained yourself from going that far. . .then by all means, Live it up!
As for getting older. . . I found 30 to be rather traumatic before it happened. . . but once I embraced it, it was great. In fact, it's changed the way I look at aging completely. Let's face it, it's going to happen regardless . . . so why not embrace it and make the most of it. I've decided that for each milestone, I will plan something great--a celebration of life. . . for 40 I've decided on running the Great Wall of China Marathon. . . I can't wait. Well . . okay, I can. . . but I'm still looking forward to it . . .
I think you've got the right idea. . . Age is inevitable. . . so embrace it and live each day to the fullest . . .
Happy Belated Birthday! I hope it was great.
Posted by Jennifer | November 20, 2007 2:41 PM
Posted on November 20, 2007 14:41
I turned 30 during the height of the feminist and youth movements, when they said "Don't trust anyone over 30." And I thought, "Great, I'm turning too old to be trusted!" And I was seriously amused.
In my current family, the children get multiple birthday presents, and adults may or may not get anything, depending on who happens to think of something suitable at a suitable time; the community goes in for joint birthday dinners (often Shabbat dinners when several friends would be eating together anyway, and a birthday cake is just added for desert).
Posted by Lucy | November 20, 2007 8:08 PM
Posted on November 20, 2007 20:08