The Importance of Birthdays

My dog Yoda doesn’t set much importance in celebrating his birthdays, just as long as he is fed,comfortable and warm he is happy. That tells me dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. People? well we are a different breed of animal and for most of us birthdays are important. At least when we are young. It has certainly been my personal experience in life. I recall the excitement of reaching my twelfth birthday so I could then wear long trousers to school. Could hardly wait to be sixteen and take my driving test,( I passed). After joining the Royal Navy I couldn’t wait to be twenty and receive my first tot, or reaching twenty two and sewing my first good conduct badge on my uniform. I couldn’t hardly wait to be old enough you go into a pub, or light up a cigarette. The wonderful milestones of waiting for the birth of my first child, or indeed my second child. Of giving my eldest daughter away in marriage. So many birthdays so many important events or at least they seemed important at the time. But oh dear! how we have wished away our lives impatiently waiting for the next big occasion to arrive. Frankly, I know longer get excited or look forward to my future birthdays, I suppose the major reason is the question of how many there might still be to come? I certainly don’t get excited or even want to know the answer to that question. So to all my young friends, this is my advice to you, each morning when you wake up, that is an important event. Each day when you go to work or play, sleep in or moan about having to pay the rent that too is a good day. When you see an old person driving a fancy car and feel jealous ask him if he would swap his life for yours. Life itself is the all important event so enjoy it, don’t sweat the small stuff everything will work out in the end. Don’t be like the many of us who lost sleep worrying about things that never happened. It has taken me the best part of my 74 years to learn these things. I hope you will be smarter and take my advice, better to learn from the mistakes of old fools like me. rather than repeating them. Don’t look forward to your next birthday, I guarantee it will come regardless, instead look forward to the rest of the day.

God Bless and keep reading