Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
Today is my birthday, and I am me with a head filled with thoughts and memories. It always surprises me when someone talks about liking birthdays and celebrating them for days on end. That has never been the case for me. In fact, I don’t recall many birthdays that were very much different from any other day.
As a kid, there was one birthday party when I was 10. It was a small gathering of school friends, and I remember every face in the group and most of the presents I received. I still have a couple of them, and they are special treasures. I’m thinking that was also the only time I had a birthday cake which is OK because I’m not a big cake fan.
Turning 16, 18, 21……Those birthdays are barely blips on my screen of life. I was thrilled to get my driver’s license at 16, but 18 and 21 coincided with returning to college away from anyone who might remember or know it was my birthday. With no one making the day special, it didn’t seem so to me either.
During the early years of marriage, the hubby would acknowledge my birthday with a a roughly drawn sketch of a rose with the message to multiply by 12! Those were the best bouquets ever as well as the only ones we could afford.
Later, there were children. Thanks to their youthful enthusiasm, wet kisses and hand made cards, birthdays became a bit more meaningful.
The most memorable birthday may well be my 40th. The hubby and I were scheduled to have a nice dinner at one of Houston’s better restaurants with another couple. We were all dressed up, but instead of arriving at the scheduled place, our friends delivered me to a crawfish and beer joint where excited voices yelled SURPRISE. What a surprise it was, even to the hubby. There I was in the midst of jeans and boots in my very cute ruffled red cocktail dress having the time of my life. We finished the evening by going to a bar-b-que joint where we danced the Texas two step to the strains of a county/western band. That was quite a night and one of the few times in my life I have been caught totally unaware.
Ten years later, I wasn’t too excited about being 50 and I threatened anyone who suggested doing something special for my birthday. On the day, no one mentioned birthday and I went with friends to an outlet mall about 2 hours from Houston. When we returned that evening, the house was crowded with people, all of whom were there having a good time and celebrating an unbirthday. No one wished me a happy anything, and the hubby got high marks for throwing this party!
Since then birthdays come and go with each one reminding me that I have less time in front of me than behind. Seldom am I with family other than the hubby, but birthdays are made special by warm wishes and many kindnesses from treasured friends who make each one a held tight memory. For that I am grateful as it makes the slate seem less empty.
Well, these are my thoughts on my birth day, and I’m curious about yours. How do you celebrate? Does the celebration last a week, a year? What makes it special?
i so appreciate your visit and the thoughts you leave behind
Lulu's Musings 
So busy with life I missed your Birthday! Hope you had a wonderful time in Maine
Thank you. Every day is happy here.
Sure is!
I finally met my sons family who also reside in Maine 🙂 He had his show in NYC I just did a blog on his art as well 🙂
Amen
As long as they were home, I always tried to make kid birthdays special. Hope they remember them!
Happy Birthday Lulu! 🙂 since my birthday is in December right before my husbands and after both my kids my birthday isn’t a grand event. I love celebrating my kids special day though! To see the joy in their eyes. 🙂
This is a sweet, but also somewhat sad post about Linda’s birthday.
What makes me sad, Dawn, is that I have so little recollection of childhood birthdays which makes me feel like I am missing something.
A belated birthday wish to you. I hope you had a lovely day.
Happy Birthday hope you got spoilt
Happy Birthday!! I grew up in the country as an only child and the nearest neighbor was about 10 miles away. We had a three room school house and several grades were in the same room with the same teacher. So, like you I did not have birthday celebrations. In this time we have a grand party each year, attended by 100-200 people.
My birthday falls on French Independence Day, Bastille Day, and that is the party. Some know it is my birthday; however, the real celebration is for Bastille Day. I make hundreds of escargot, duck confit Cassoulet, lavender chicken, Truffle Mac & Cheese, several pates and all sorts of French goodies and we drink cases of French wine. Usually we are hosting the French Laurent of The Society of The Cincinnati during his U.S. tour at the same time, so it is a multifunctional party.
Well I remember our birthdays two years back when you took us to the Labor Day picnic on an Island, and we saw the sailing ships and lobster trap races in Camden. We ate well out and in that weekend too. Thanks for the memories. Tom
Sent from my iPhone T or S Lef
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Memories, that’s what birthdays are all about. Hope yours is a good one.
Sorry if I’m tardy to the party, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy Belated Birthday Lulu – very best wishes for good health and peace throughout the year.
Happiest of Birthdays Lulu! May your every wish be fulfilled this year! xoxo
Happy Birthday! I love birthdays and think they deserve big celebrations! We have a birthday fairy who surprises the honoree with a pile of presents and decorations on the night before their birthday. It sounds like you’ve had some grand parties!
Jenna
A birthday fairy….I like that!
Happy belated, Lulu… Much love…
Happy Birthday (a day late)!
My birthdays, so far, have always been spent with family, which is a lovely way to spend the day. 🙂
I loved your post! I love you too.
:>)
Happy happy birthday.
I didn’t know our birthdays are, literally, days apart!
You are the 🌟 of the day and there’s nothing you can do about it! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎈🎈🎈🎈😘
Sent from my iPhone🌴♻
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Not a big birthday fan either and never have been. We always had our family parties and that was fine with me. I never had a slumber party and can’t remember a time in which I truly went out even at drinking age with friends to party. The ideal party to me is being with my children and man of the house surrounded by our animals and in the comfort of our home!!
Most happy birthday wishes, Lulu!
Okay, you might be older but… at least you are wiser… right?? Happy Birthday, Lulu! 😀
I think I had a birthday party when I was 3 only because I had a picture. Mother felt birthday parties were inappropriate as a mere excuse to extort gifts from people. She felt people that had birthday parties exhibited a sinful sense of entitlement. I suppose it’s that Presbyterian Calvinism that joy in sinful and lustful. On the other hand she always made the lasagna that day and there was a card with $5 in it. It must have rubbed off as I now think such things are a frivolous waste of time and then it becomes a nightmare with the obligatory attendance at everyone else’s party plus a gift. If there are many friends and families seems a dozen parties a week for all the kids. My son remembers to send a card at the end of August or beginning of September. The only problem with that is that my birthday is in June. Happy Birthday Lulu.
A very happy birthday to you! Most of my birthdays have been very humble, especially when I was little. My kids really went all out for my 60th birthday surprising me in so many delightful ways. I’ll never forget that one. I am quite happy with simple just so I don’t have to cook!
Simple is good!
🎈🎈🎈HAPPY BIRTHDAY🎈🎈🎈
WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE THESE DAYS…
AND
YOU DO LIVE YOURS TO THE
FULLEST
🎈
TO MORE HAPPY HEALTHY YEARS
🍰🍰🍰
First of all…Happy Birthday!!!!!!…Loved reading your birthday stories…In answer to your questions..There were 5 kids in our family….birthdays were celebrated with a cake that my mom made and a special dinner…no fanfare…just being with family…When I got married, there was never a birthday that did not include a beautiful card situated in a place where I would first go in the morning…the coffee pot!…In our earlier marriage years, gifts were minimal…and nice celebration was held usually at my parents…still the same…a great homemade cake and a great dinner…..as the years went by, gifts got a bit nicer .. a surprise party and a new Beamer on my 50th…but truthfully, the gift that I treasure the most (other than those beautifully written cards by hubby)…are the handmade cards from my granddaughter..special…so very special…My mom who is 89ish says that every day is her birthday….a day to celebrate that you are alive…that you “woke up and saw the sun”….Happy Birthday to the fabulous Linda/Lulu!!!!
Somehow I feel that every day is special for you as you experience each with enthusiasm and gratitude.
Happy, happy birthday, Linda! You enjoy a world of birthdays everyday, but I hope today was extra special!
OH MY I so disagree. Celebrating life is so special. Would you ignore your child rems special days? We teach them with something special how loved they are and how special. Sometimes I skip the gift, there is NOTHING I need, but we always celebrate in a special way. Some years friends, some years just family. SPECIAL DAY TO KNOW YOU ARE HAPPY TO BE ALIVE IN THIS WORLD WITH THE LOVE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Though family is not always around to celebrate birthdays, friends make up for it and for that I am very grateful.
Happy Happy Birthday, Lulu. My birthdays seem to be more like yours have been through life. When all of the kids were home it was a bigger deal than it is now. My wife has surprised a couple of times which is hard to do. But she did, and they were memorable times. We have much to be thankful for, Lulu. I hope it’s been what you hoped for today, and may there be many many more with great health and mind. 💐🎂🎈🍦🎉👈
No matter how they are spent, the good news is that we have birthdays!
You’re right. Have a wonderful day after!😀
Linda, you know how to live each day as if it were your birthday. It’s a wonderful quality and one that makes us all want to be with you, as you make it ours too! No one deserves a super day more than you and I wish you a whole year of birthdays to come!
Happy Birthday, Lulu! Many more happy and healthy years!
I remember birthday parties, nothing elaborate most years, but always a family celebration!
Never had a surprise party, gave a lot of them though.
I do remember one birthday vividly, my mom died on my 50th.
I don’t get to be with my family on my birthday either. Usually we just go out for dinner, unless it is snowing. So no, I don’t celebrate for a week, lol!
Yes, we are getting older, but aren’t we blessed to be here! I think of those who aren’t as lucky!
How right you are, Kathleen, about our being lucky which is why I try to live each day to the fullest.