Deb: I am turning 56 today, July the 5th. I was born in the year 1954. I am proud of that fact and happy to tell anyone who’s interested.
I encounter many people who do not share my brazen birthday boasting. And not just women, as stereotypes might dictate. I meet so many people who refuse to give their ages and who are shocked when I blurt mine out.
Now I’m not saying that people should expose their ages if they don’t feel like it. It is a very personal choice and there are many reasons why someone might not want to. Me, I shout it out. Always have. And the thing is, I never wanted to be older or younger than the age I was on my birthday. I always loved the age I was right then and there. After all, It was my number and I got to own it for a whole year. It’s the day I arrived on earth for goodness sake. Wow! Lucked out. Coulda been a dung beetle or a hyena. Won the food-chain lottery with human. The sky’s the limit!
July 5th. It’s my Birthday and I’m healthy, happy, and looking for adventure! Thank you, MY BIRTHDAY, it’s my great honour to be here. So Happy Birthday, babies, whenever yours may be. Own it out loud or own it inside ... but own it.
Barbara: And I turn 47 tomorrow, babies! I don’t know if that’s why Deb and I work so well together, because we almost share a birthday, but it is a real gift to have someone in your life who reminds you on a daily basis to celebrate and own it! Thanks, Deb, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I will follow your lead tomorrow and be grateful that I was not born a dung beetle.
Some of you might remember me whining about revealing my age in Aging Gracefully. Clearly, I’m getting over that particular issue. I’m getting much better at choosing to embrace who I am over worrying about what other people think (“She’s HOW old? Oh, no, she can’t do this work anymore.”). But, I will say this: I have never had a problem celebrating my birthday. I love the pomp and circumstance (and by that I mean, you know, tea and paper in bed, guiltless lolling, and a nice dinner out with my family, tee hee!). I have not yet had a huge psychological problem with becoming another year older. I like each one of my 47 years and what they mean in terms of experience.
But there is a strange hiccup in this tra-la: I have become increasingly shy about having a party on my birthday, “forcing” people to come and celebrate with me. I truly don’t understand this turn of sentiment. I LOVE celebrating anything with other people. I love having friends over, going to their places, going out en masse, any excuse for a celebration. But strangely, over the last few years, let’s do it on any day other than my birthday. Why, I wonder. Have I lost some of my “owning it” mojo? Or am I just getting quieter? I really don’t know…
Anyway, Deb, tomorrow I promise to “own it inside”, if not outright owning it “loud”!
Happy birthday to the both of you! I agree that age should be celebrated no matter the number - like my mother said when she turned 50: "I don't mind. After all, what's the alternative?"
ReplyDeleteAging is definitely better than the alternative!
Thanks Cruella,
ReplyDeleteJust woke up to my husband playing Birthday by the Beatles loudly and I danced around my living room. Nice way to start that day. That, and your good wishes!
Happy Birthday, Deb and Barbara. Cancerians are the best, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteDeb, strange though it sounds, I know exactly what you mean when you talk about owning up to your age. I have always been most happy to be the age that I am, and the most I have ever felt the need to do is to say factually accurate things like next year I will be 40, when I am currently 38.
Incidentally, I turned 39 less than two weeks back (on the 24th, to be precise), and my Thursday Twin celebrates her birthday the day before I do.
Hope you have a great birthday. I hope it is very special for you. Birthdays are always great expecially when you get to be with your family and friends . Like I said Have A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the birthday wishes Rayna!!! And happy belated birthday to you too! Yes I love being a cancerian. Shame about the name though. Now that you guys know how old I am I won't be dating myself by saying that when I was a teen in Hippie times, they had a huge movement to change the sign Cancer to Moonchild. Cancer is the sign that is ruled by the moon as I am sure you know. So for a few blissful years in the late 60's and 70's I was a Moon-Child. Still am really but you'll find me listed under Cancer! Who is your Thursday twin?
ReplyDeleteThanks Lyndsie for the birthday wishes! I am having a super day so far and it is only 10:08!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to both of you, with the very best wishes! I'm a firm believer in "owning it," whatever we decide to do, in some way. It helps define who we are. P.S. Love that Moon-Child story, a great way to put the 60s and 70s stamp on astrology.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanne,
ReplyDeleteI'll take those birthday wishes! So nice to hear from so many people. Loving it! Owning it, yes I am. Off to meet the Queen now. Not even kidding. Blog to follow. You betcha!
Happy Birthday, Deb!!! A thousand cupcakes and limitless hugs!!! I hope the next year brings you great adventures and untold blessings!!!
ReplyDelete*hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs*
P.S. The Queen should count it her privilege to meet YOU!
I'm sure the Queen is ever so excited to be meeting you -- I'm with Rigel there.
ReplyDeleteI've never been afraid to state my age, either. It seems silly, to me. The first question my son asks a new person he meets is "How old are you?" They seem to answer honestly, though my hubby says sometimes they are taken aback and obviously uncomfortable. I haven't noticed that, though.
Once, in my forties, or was that my thirties, I literally forgot how old I was and had to count back on my fingers from 1959.
Also Deb, you have the coolest, sweetest husband. And you deserve him, I'm sure.
Also I want to wish Barbara a Happy early birthday I also hope that your birthday is special for you. It's cool that you and Deb almost share a birthday. I know what that is like me and my cousin are 3 days a part. We are both born in June and we are both born in the same year so it is cool. It is nice to have a friend to celebrate your birthday with. HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY.
ReplyDeleteHi Rigel,
ReplyDeleteI only wish but the Queen didn't seem nearly as thrilled to meet me as I was her. She is so lovely and looks fantastic. Thanks for the birthday wishes!
My Kateness I loved that you had to count back on your fingers to remember your age! Thanks for the kudos for my lovely husband. I agree 1000 percent. Thanks for the birthday wishes!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to both of you lovelies.
ReplyDeleteAs I am also about to celebrate my birthday (ok, ok, 46!?!?!) I am going to make that my mantra now: "I am not a dung beetle. I am not a dung beetle." That and a 5k swim (?!?) and a margarita are likely going to make me feel far younger than I am anyway.
Lesson learned from you Deb, though, truly. Reading this post was inspiring. Might as well learn it. The alternatives are so much less attractive and enjoyable. :)
Happy birthdays, spring chickens!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your wishes and thoughts!! Woo-hoo, aren't birthdays fun?! Especially if you are making it a point to embrace it and celebrate.
ReplyDeleteI must quote Deb from an email today. This is her birthday trivia: "In the movie "Back to the Future" Doc Brown sets the DeLorean ahead 25 years. Today is the day it arrived. July 5, 2010."
How's that for a fun fact?
Love to all, xo
Catching this kinda late today, but I hope your b-day was as wonderful as it sounds and that Barbara has an awesome one as well!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthdays, both of you! :D And for the record, Barbara, 47 is the coolest number ever. Live it up.
ReplyDeleteI'm never afraid to share my age, but I'm sometimes dissatisfied with it. But on my next birthday, I'll finally be the right age (21) to have no more age-related legal restrictions imposed on me.
Thanks the Nag for the spring chicken comment! I'll take it!
ReplyDelete46 is a lovely number Gae. And you are certainly not a dung beetle even though we have all had days like that. Glad you are owning it. As you say, what are the alternatives?
ReplyDeleteNot too late at all Ruth. Still an hour and a half left in my special day! Thanks for the birthday wishes!
ReplyDeleteWow Adrienne,
ReplyDelete21 is not just a happy legal age (woo-hoo) but it is also such a romantic age. You are perched on the brink of possibility. Look in the mirror and say "wow, look at me at 21!" And remember it.
It's now after midnight in Toronto's timezone which makes it Barbara's turn to be the birthday girl.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Barbara!!! *infinite hugs* I hope this year is more fabulous than you could ever wish.
Happy birthday to BOTH of you! I wish I wasn't late for the party--spent all yesterday retrieving my daughter from Canada (read: sitting for HOURS at the border)
ReplyDeleteDeb-you are a horse in Chinese Zodiac, as I am (I'm also a cancer) so I bet we have a ton in common!
And I agree completely about the near birthdays having huge influence on why you get along so well. My Thursday twin is just one day after me (though 5 years behind) and we seem to agree on almost everything.
This is odd...Looks like we have more comments posted to this post than appear in the page: Deb posted 4 responses last night to each of you and Watery Tart posted one this morning. All came to our in-box, but none of these are showing up here. Very strange. Do we call to Saint Anthony for lost comments???
ReplyDeleteOnoes, my comment disappeared. The same thing happened on one of my blogs. Comment notification in my email, but nothing on the actual blog. :/ Hey Tony (Saint Anthony), a little help?
ReplyDeleteHey -- looks like we're back up with the comments! Adrienne, pleading with Saint Tony worked. Thanks for adding your voice.
ReplyDeleteOff to do more birthday celebrating. Owning it, owning it!
Have fun celebrating,your birthday, that is always fun. I know when I turn 21 I am going to do some major celebrating. I will be legal then, finally. It seems like it takes forever to turn 21.
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm late Ladies, but that is the story of my life. I arrived to this world early and I've been making up for it ever since. Happy belated birthday to you both. I never had a problem with my age (52 until Nov. 28th), but then I never looked my age either. I was carded until I was around 30. I think you 2 Ladies where probably carded way after you turned 21 as well. Life is for living and age is just proof your living it.
ReplyDeleteNo apology necessary, TJL! I love that you arrived early and now "make up for it". And thanks for the compliment -- but I haven't been carded since I was 16 (legal age in Quebec is 18). Oops, what did I say? But, no, never carded. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday girls!
ReplyDeleteI share a birthday with my friend Amy Ferris. It's pretty cool to share a horoscope with your best bud.
Are you girls on facebook? We've got a circle of friends on there, a really cool gathering of women writers/artists/etc.... Love to have you in it!