~A birthday is just the first day of another 365 day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip. ~Author Unknown
Do you love having birthdays? Sometimes we might groan at the way those numbers make us feel old, but I’m glad to add one on each year anyway. And today I’m happy to have the gift of a new year, another trip around the sun, coming my way. The picture is of one of my granddaughter’s cakes – the one who loves chocolate. If it were mine, it would need many more candles.
I had the gift of some of my family coming to wish me a slightly early happy birthday last night. So, I didn’t get time to post here. When thinking about what I could share on my birthday, I remembered some of the quotes I’ve used in our church bulletins through the years. Br. Fred, our preacher for over thirty years, before he moved on up to heaven, also had a birthday in September. That made it even more fun to share birthday quotes in our bulletins. Br. Fred always said each year that his favorite birthday was the next one. He would also say his age was this or that number of the anniversary of his thirtieth birthday. Sometimes we do sort of stop counting and in our heads, we are still that younger age forever.
~Of course, I know how old I am. Well, I know when I was born. I don’t like doing the math. So, I usually just ballpark it. -Author Unknown
~Old age is always 15 years older than I am. – Oliver Wendell Holmes
Thinking about my birthday made me remember those birthdays when I was a kid. My sisters and I didn’t have birthday parties with the whole family showing up to celebrate back then. While I’ve had plenty of family visits and dinners for my birthday after I got older, the only official birthday party with guests other than family was a surprise party my church had for me when I turned fifty. We had black streamers, a cake with black icing, and a lot of laughter. And I was surprised.
But back to those birthdays when I was a kid. There were never piles of presents the way my grandkids are blessed to open on their birthdays. But I had an aunt who made our birthdays special. She never married and loved us girls like she was our grandmother. She would decorate a cake for us and bring us a couple of presents – probably something to wear and maybe a puzzle or book. I really don’t remember the presents. I do remember running out our lane and standing there to wait for her car to come down that bumpy road. I think now that my mother gave my aunt a gift by letting her make our cakes and be our birthday angel. Her visit with the decorated cake and more made our birthdays special.
~Most of us can remember a time when a birthday–especially if it was one’s own– brightened the world as if a second sun has risen. ~Robert Staughton Lynd
Since then, I’ve been blessed over and over by my family and friends on my birthday. The days have almost always been days when I can smile. Special gifts have come my way many times. The desk where I write my books was a special gift from my husband many years ago. It was a big old secretarial desk that he had someone refinish. It’s lovely. Another time he gave me a cocker spaniel puppy because I had loved one as a child for a brief few weeks before it had to find a new home. I wrote a story about that, A Gift of Love. Perhaps I should share it here. I don’t think I have before.
First, here are some birthday smiles. ~Always laugh when you can…It’s cheap medicine. ~Anonymous
~Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. – Mark Twain
~Don’t let aging get your down. It’s too hard to get back up. – J Wagner
~Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest. ~Larry Lorenzoni
~It would be easier to remember your age if you didn’t change it every year. ~Anonymous
~At my age, flowers scare me. ~George Burns
~You know you’re getting old when all the names in your black book have M.D. after them. ~Harrison Ford
And on to quotes to keep the best attitude on a birthday.
~The secret to happiness is to count your blessings, not your birthdays. -Unknown
~Those who love deeply never grow old. They may die of old age, but they die young. – Dorothy Canfield Fisher
And this one is maybe my favorite quote to remember on a birthday or any day.
~The other day a man asked me what I thought was the best time of life. “Why,” I answered without a thought, “Now.” ~David Grayson
I hope the quotes make you smile. Thank you so much for reading my words here and in my books.
Do you like celebrating birthdays? Yours or those of your family and friends?
Comments 18
Happiest of birthdays and may God bless you. I haven’t celebrated my birthday for many years. With my parents passed and no family close by it’s just another day. 😁
Author
It is just another day. You’re right about that, Lucy. But it’s still fun to give ourselves a little slack on our birthdays. Maybe do something fun like sit down a read a book or take in a movie or eat something sweet or whatever you like best. But then every day can be a gift with good things coming our way – sunshine and flowers; stars and moonlight; dogs and cats; birds and trees.
A belated “Happy Birthday to you!” Ann.
I do enjoy your writing so very much — not only your wonderful books, but also your weekly newsletters. And your photography is excellent too 🙂
May this be the beginning of an especially beautiful year for you and your husband.
Author
Thank you for your kind words and sweet wishes, Roberta. I appreciate everyone who takes time to read my words. I know I throw a lot of them out there are people sometimes. I’ve just always loved stringing words together.
Happy, happy birthday !!! may God continue to bless you as you share your gift with all of us. Who love you as an author!!! Enjoy the moments!!!
Author
That’s such a sweet message for me, Nancy. Thank you so much. And yes, it is the moments we need to enjoy.
Happy Birthday, Ann. I hope you have a wonderful day and year ahead. The years do seem to pile on quickly, but birthdays are fun if you can share it with those you love. I miss my kids being little and seeing their surprise and happiness at receiving something they really wanted. A friend from our church surprised me on my last birthday and showed up with lunch and we had a wonderful visit, and it still touches my heart that she did something so special. I miss out on a lot due to health issues and she really made my day and then of course I still had surprises to come from my husband and kids and phone calls from other family members so I guess even though we sometimes cringe at getting older, it is a gift especially when we get to spend time with those in our lives that the Lord has blessed us with. 🙂
Author
All that sounds lovely, Hope. It is the people we love who make our birthday celebrations special. And what a sweet friend to take the time to help make your day good. Some of us have good intentions and never get it done. Others, like your friend, make it happen.
Thanks for sharing about your birthday fun. And yes, birthdays for kids is extra fun.
I do like celebrating birthdays!! Usually my friends and I will go out to celebrate each others birthdays, sometimes a couple of different groups of friends will celebrate mine! I even threw myself a “Dutch treat” birthday party a few years ago! It was a lot of fun, and 15 friends and family joined me!
Author
That’s sounds so fun, Trudy. You know, sometimes I think we don’t have fun because we don’t plan fun. Sounds as if you know how to plan having a good birthday time. And a new year coming our way is reason to celebrate with friends and family.
While growing up mom always made a cake to celebrate a birthday in the family. We would give each other small gifts. That was fun then, but birthdays are kind of low key for us now.
Author
For me too, Connie, but I do enjoy when the kids can come visit sometime around my birthday. I didn’t make a cake, but my daughter did come home for a visit and made bagels, something I love. She was showing, so she said, how easy they were to make. I thought they were probably easier to buy. LOL
Happy Birthday! My birthday is September 25th. My Mama always said that she wouldn’t be old until she hit 100 years. She made it to 91. Birthdays are great to celebrate. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful birthday month. 🙂
Author
Happy birthday month, Melissa. I hope you have a wonderful birthday next week. My mom always wanted to make it to 100, but she died when she was 94. Unfortunately, she had dementia for several years before that. So, she didn’t get to enjoy her final years.
Happy Birthday. Wishing you a blessed year.
Author
Thank you, Sharon. I do look forward to another year coming my way.
Happy Birthday, Ann!
Author
Thank you, Judi. I appreciate your birthday wishes.