The Thoughts Behind it All

Birthdays

Birthday: noun
• The anniversary of the day on which a person was born, typically treated as an occasion for celebration and the giving of gifts.

This is the official definition of a birthday. But what do you think? Do you agree? I don't. To me, a birthday is a day to celebrate the person who was born, to truly appreciate them, to show how much you love them. It's a day dedicated to making that person feel truly happy. It's a selfish holiday, but it isn't at the same time.

A birthday is the one day you get to be you, to be happy, to feel the love from others in a special way. A birthday is supposed to be a day where you feel safe, happy, and just overall, good. But, what happens when that feeling isn't there? What happens when you don't feel appreciated by one of the people that matters the most? What happens when it feels like a friend knows you better than someone that matters more, someone that's been there since day one?

Gifts. Gifts are a medium of showing someone appreciation or love, at least that's what I think. I think a gift is something that shows someone you care, something that tells them you've listened to what that person has to say, that you know what they like. A gift should hold some weight, it shouldn't be something that you randomly thought of. I believe a gift should be well thought out. So, a gift shouldn't be selfish. A gift shouldn't be something that is given because it's something you, as the gift giver, want. But, if you receive a gift like that, you should still act happy, right? Is it alright to be upset about a gift you didn't want? A birthday present is something you give the person because it is something they either wanted or it encompasses them as a person, whether in things they like or in words. But, what if the gift isn't something they'd like? What if the gift is one of pure selfish desires? That person may be upset, that's just natural, right? So is it really a gift, then?

A birthday is a selfish holiday, yet it doesn't have to be. Do you agree?

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5/24/2024