A meaningful treat on my birthday. In most cultures, it is a custom to give a present to someone on his or her birthday. Along with a birthday wish for the day itself and the future to come. Usually a party is being hosted by the birthday-person to celebrate another year has passed and one can add another year to one’s Life history.
Custom on birthdays
A custom I also grew up with, is to treat family, friends, classmates and colleagues at your birthday. In my youth it would be candy in the classroom and a party for your dearest friends. My mother came up with the most fabulous games, like sack-races or climbing trees, or take the small group of us children to the swimming pool or forest. In addition, family and best friends of my parents would come over to congratulate and bring a gift.
The gift of Life itself
As a young girl, I always felt more responsible for the people in my life, hence for the world we all live upon and its creatures, than for myself.
My parents often told me not to carry all world’s problems on my shoulders, but I did anyway.
I had to learn the hard way that you can’t always get what you wish for. Life provides you what you need; the gift of Life itself:
Wisdom of nature, of ancestors and history and all you go through in life, experiences, are lessons to be learned.
Will I even become 99?
Today, June 10 2019, my age is 47 in years. It is just a number and nothing more. I hope to live long enough to celebrate my 99th birthday. Still appreciating the wisdom of nature, our ancestors and history, still embracing the technology of the 21st century. The latter to a certain point; don’t clone me 😉
Recently, however, I’ve read an article regarding a research done by scientists about our existence as humans. More specifically, if we continue living like we do now and abusing the world we all live upon, around 2050 our human race will start to decay. Whether you believe this becomes a reality or not, we can’t deny our world is in trouble. So now I find myself pondering, can I even become 99?
A meaningful treat on my birthday
For decades I’ve been reading and (re-)searching for meaning of life. My studies about existential well-being made me aware of the fact that age is just a number. In addition, Life is not about searching for happiness, or about living our passions. Purpose is important, yes, without a reason to live, Life becomes meaningless.
A human life is finite.
A soul,
the soul of life, the soul of humans, of all living creatures,
is not.
Our basic needs are clean water, food, shelter. Security plus belonging and thus love and be loved are factors for thriving too. Change is inevitable, however, Life just is. We humans are the ones changing, depending on our circumstances, environment and culture we grow up in. More importantly, depending on the choices we make each moment.
In general, the human basic needs are security, connection, fulfillment. All we need and strive for means nothing without meaning… what you and I can mean TO Life. Our physical bodies will leave our big world at some point. Tomorrow, in 2050 or maybe, in my case, I do become 99. I don’t know, don’t even want to know. All I do know is that I want to keep on caring for the world I live upon, including all its creatures.
Choosing, acknowledging, reaching out and embracing.
A meaningful treat on my 47th birthday.
Aware my soul is infinite, as part of Life.
Taking responsibility for my Life, for your Life…
for Life.
4 Responses
A belated happy birthday dear Patty! This log is a very meaningful gift to us, from you, indeed! Keep up the positive work you are doing out here! ?
Thank you dear Anushka! Thank you for giving me the gift of your time to support and thus connect. Much appreciated!
<3 Happy, Happy Birthday again Patty!
Thank you again, dear Katherin 🙂