a reflective day
"A birthday doesn't do anything for
the person having it, except remind him or her that he's just one year closer to
the end of it all.
How
do
you
spend
your
birthday?
This
month
I
will
turn
another
year
older.
My
mother
recently
sent
me
an
email
remarking
that
she
can't
believe
she
has
a
child
who
is
now
"over
40."
Andy
Rooney
talked
about
birthdays
on "60 Minutes"
tonight.
His
words
made
me
laugh
and
made
me
think.
"A
birthday
doesn't
do
anything
for
the
person
having
it,
except
remind
him
or
her
that
he's
just
one
year
closer
to
the
end
of
it
all.
If
you're
49,
why
should
turning
50
be
an
occasion
for
joy
or
celebration?"I
know
people
who
really
celebrate
their
birthdays.
My
companion,
Lisa,
really
enjoys
a
good
birthday
celebration.
She
likes
cake,
no
work,
a
real
special
day.
I
don't,
well
I
have
not,
always
done
a
good
job
making
her
day
special.
It
is
one
of
the
things
you
learn
when
you
spend
your
life
with
one
person.
What
we
have
learned
is
to
be
sure
to
have
dinner
together
the
day
we
remember
our
birth.
So
much
of
what
you
do
as
an
adult
is
fueled
by
what
you
did
or
didn't
do
as
a
kid.
It
is
something
we
know
and
sometimes
even
name,
but
rarely
talk
about.
I
am
not
one
to
celebrate.
My
birthday
is
a
quiet
reflective
day
for
me.
It
is
private. I don't tell anyone about it.
In
describing
his
birthday
I
have
heard
my
father
say,
"It
beats
the
alternative."
I
am
glad
to
still
be
breathing.
I
have
a
lot
of
living
and
laughing
to
do
with
my
companion.Turning
41
isn't
a
big
deal.
But
it
is
a
day
that
I
will
think
about
what
I
have
done
and
reflect
on
who
I
am.
It
is
a
day
to
be
still,
remember,
and
give
thanks
that
I
am
still
breathing.
I
am
certainly
the
luckiest
man
on
the
earth.
Filed Sun - January 15, 2006, 10:05 PM in
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