Day Eight: "Birthdays"
I love the relationship/expectation I have for birthdays. It is this: "They're just another day." The last birthday I remember having any strong feelings about was my 12th birthday. I was TERRIFIED to turn 12 and go into Young Womens. What made matter monumentally worse was the fact that my parents were leaving on a trip. It was a work cruise or something. I was DEVASTATED. My mom had always told us turning 12 would be the last age we could have a birthday party for, and here she was deserting me on my 12th birthday. And she was going to be gone on a Sunday when I was supposed to go to Young Womens. It was a horrible moment in my life. Fortunately, I survived. And then I learned the valuable lesson: "Birthdays are just ANOTHER DAY." I had some very lovely friends who threw me a party. And I even got to hang back in primary an extra week because I was scared. All of this turned out to be excellent preparation for my 13th birthday. I clearly remember waking up to no birthday banner or pancakes. I made myself a bowl of cereal and proceeded to eat breakfast half asleep like my sisters. Suddenly, Kassidy turned to me and asked, "Isn't it your birthday today?" - "Yeah." Silence. Probably because she was devastated by the lack of fanfare FOR ME. "Happy birthday." And then I got dressed and went to school. Sometime between breakfast and the last class of the day on a Friday, my mom remembered the day. She made a desperate attempt to win back my affections - just kidding - to redeem herself - haha, kidding again - and bought a few dozen donuts to my class and surprised me. I think she was genuinely mortified. Me? I really wasn't too phased because I had been abandoned the birthday before and learned that birthdays were just another day. Nowadays, I think my mom sleeping in, forgetting my birthday, and buying apology donuts is the best birthday memory I have!
I love the relationship/expectation I have for birthdays. It is this: "They're just another day." The last birthday I remember having any strong feelings about was my 12th birthday. I was TERRIFIED to turn 12 and go into Young Womens. What made matter monumentally worse was the fact that my parents were leaving on a trip. It was a work cruise or something. I was DEVASTATED. My mom had always told us turning 12 would be the last age we could have a birthday party for, and here she was deserting me on my 12th birthday. And she was going to be gone on a Sunday when I was supposed to go to Young Womens. It was a horrible moment in my life. Fortunately, I survived. And then I learned the valuable lesson: "Birthdays are just ANOTHER DAY." I had some very lovely friends who threw me a party. And I even got to hang back in primary an extra week because I was scared. All of this turned out to be excellent preparation for my 13th birthday. I clearly remember waking up to no birthday banner or pancakes. I made myself a bowl of cereal and proceeded to eat breakfast half asleep like my sisters. Suddenly, Kassidy turned to me and asked, "Isn't it your birthday today?" - "Yeah." Silence. Probably because she was devastated by the lack of fanfare FOR ME. "Happy birthday." And then I got dressed and went to school. Sometime between breakfast and the last class of the day on a Friday, my mom remembered the day. She made a desperate attempt to win back my affections - just kidding - to redeem herself - haha, kidding again - and bought a few dozen donuts to my class and surprised me. I think she was genuinely mortified. Me? I really wasn't too phased because I had been abandoned the birthday before and learned that birthdays were just another day. Nowadays, I think my mom sleeping in, forgetting my birthday, and buying apology donuts is the best birthday memory I have!
Be First to Post Comment !
Post a Comment