I had a birthday this past week (not that you bothered to call).
And I have to tell you, it was one of the best I can ever remember.
It began Friday night when friends came over for dinner.
Suterday, I happened to run into friends of mine while walking down the street, and agreed to meet up afterwards.
At dinner, somebody mentioned to the waiter that it was my birthday and a few minutes later, he showed up with a free dessert.
Not that that mattered, since when the check arrived, one of my friends grabbed it. Again, because it was my birthday.
But the fun and freebies didn’t stop there.
The next night, I went out for a drink with another friend of mine who also insisted on picking up the check. And then, when the bartender overheard it had been my birthday the day before, he said, “You want a free drink?”
(It was at that point where I started thinking that maybe I should just tell everyone, every day, that it’s my birthday.)
Birthdays are funny things. You mention it’s your birthday and everyone has the exact same reaction: “Really? Today? That’s great, happy birthday!”
For some reason, it’s always said with a great deal of excitement and surprise.
But why does it work this way? Why do friends, family, and even total strangers react to something so ordinary with a combination of amazement and joy?
Well, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve given this question a lot of thought over the past few days. And I believe I know the answer.
It’s not because birthdays are so unusual. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. It’s because birthdays are something that all of us have. Everyone you meet has exactly one birthday.
The truth is, birthdays may represent the one and only thing that all humans share in common (other than, possibly, a love of George Clooney).
And so when I tell you it’s my birthday, it creates a connection. Everyone knows how he enjoys this day and is happy to be part of this excitement even when it comes to people they do not even know.
This is according to me what makes birthdays so special.
That’s why next time when someone has a birthday the least you can do for them is to order a special birthday phone call or just download a custom birthday song and send it over email, Whatsapp or messenger.
Happy birthday!