Childhood years are valuable because they feel longer than they should be and affect us more than we think.
Childhood birthdays, in particular, hold a special place in our memories— filled with stimulating decorations, toys, costumes, and delicious cake.
Teenage birthdays can be more monumental. You become more independent, some get their driver’s license, and others celebrate a sweet sixteen.
There are only two important birthdays when we’re adults: 18th and 21st.
The 18th birthday, at least in the U.S., makes us a legal adult with adult responsibilities. We can vote, sign contracts, and even join the military. The 21st birthday, at least in the U.S., allows us to legally drink.
And that’s it.
There are no more exciting birthdays after our 21st. An argument can be made that the 25th, 30th, 40th, and so on are also important. But that’s subjective; few people actually celebrate these milestones.
So what do we do if there are no more exciting birthdays?
Simple: just make them more exciting.
They’re your birthdays. So, it’s up to you if you want to celebrate one and ignore another. There’s nothing wrong with that. Birthdays are too short to be worrying about which ones are exciting and which ones aren’t.
Here’s my inspiration for the day.