― Oprah Winfrey
Having
recently enjoyed a birthday that has been celebrated for more than two weeks, I
recognize that I am blessed with exceptional friends who somehow, very
generously, go along with my family's penchant for celebrating and celebrating
and celebrating birthdays.
As the
celebrations passed the one-week mark, I said to a dear friend who was
organizing the latest extravaganza that I felt badly about one more celebration
― especially as it was not even a milestone birthday.
"Oh,
please!" she texted back. "We
love you. It's your turn to
receive!"
And receive I
did as I found myself two days later on a Sunday morning with a group of
girlfriends who had made all kinds of babysitting arrangements to spend a
couple of hours at a lovely tea shop wearing hats, trying on British accents
and sipping tea.
A couple of
days ago, I had lunch with one of my move-a-body friends to celebrate my
birthday -- yes, again. When he
mentioned going to an expensive steak house, I tried to e-mail him out of
it. I thought a pizza joint might be
more appropriate. But he insisted, and
when I joined him at the restaurant booth, he said to me, "You know, I
wanted to come here, too." After
each one of us devoured a delicious steak and a couple of other tasty dishes,
the waiter came to inquire about desserts.
Neither one of us could eat a whole dessert, and as we debated between a
chocolate option and the cheesecake the waiter suggested, my friend said,
"You decide, it's your birthday."
Predictably, I opted for the chocolate.
A few minutes later, the waiter appeared with both desserts and a candle
in one. "I heard him say it was
your birthday..." Yep, even the
waiter joined in on the extended (and extravagant) birthday celebrations.
I know some
people prefer not to celebrate birthdays, and I try to respect their wishes. As for me, I have enjoyed the tremendous
kindness of each celebration and continue to count -- and deeply appreciate -- the
blessings that are my friends.
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