My birthday this year passed by with a
whimper, same as the one before (and that one was a milestone - 75).
In fact I did celebrate it a tiny bit and I invited one of Joan's
friends because they both like to dance. We went to Peppers and I
footed the bill. The food was good and the band played “Happy
Birthday” for me. I got a “Birthday Blessing” from my church.
There were a couple of greetings via Facebook that gets less every
year.

My fault ,as I hardly ever use it. And,
apparently I am not alone as Facebook users get less every month as
has happened over the past two years,

I cannot remember the last time I ever
had a cake. Maybe it was for my 50th? If it was I paid
for it and everything else.

I asked the question “At what age
should one stop celebrating birthdays?” over the Internet and that
didn't get much response worth publishing.

One of the better ones was from Shrava,
who lives in India. He said:

“I don't find any reason for
celebrating birthday. Just because group of people around you start
wishing, you feel happy. But if you look at it from closer whats your
role in it. You find it absolute Nothing.

“Someone might say that pray to God
as you are alive and thank him for whatever you have. To those, one
particular spermatozoa, on one particular day, makes a child. Like
every other creature on this earth are born in the same way, so
what's so special and whats your role in it. A big zero.

“So if the question is, why there
should be a role in every celebration ? To that, because most of the
people are just exist like micro-organisms , they don't live their
life and for them as they dint achieve anything in their lives, they
have an occasiona to celebrate and to feel something special on that
one particular day.

“So, conclusion is that, no need to
celebrate your own birthday as you dint have any role in it. Rather,
do celebrate the day which you have done and felt you have achieved
something tremendous in your life that might not benefit others. At
least, if you are celebrating some other persons birthday is somewhat
ok, because that person has some role in your life and you feel happy
being with that person.But not your own birthday.”

Another one from Netmums said:

“Revealed: the age when we stop
celebrating our own birthdays

“Birthdays are to be celebrated.
Presents, cake, maybe a party or a night out.

“But as we get older we give up
celebrating our own birthday altogether.

“Brits stop celebrating their
birthday at the age of 31, a study has revealed.

“After years of marking the day with
parties and nights out, worries about getting ‘too old’ and
simply ‘not being bothered’ anymore mean we stop making a big
effort to celebrate as soon as we get into our “thirties.

“Following their 31st birthday, many
admit they only really celebrate the milestone birthdays of 40, 50,
and 60, with almost half admitting they’ve had a birthday which has
passed them by completely because they barely acknowledged it.”

There. I'm not alone. Birthdays pass by
after you reach thirty. I'll settle for the church blessing I
received today.

PS. My wife sent me a birthday card –
actually two. She forgot she had already bought me one. And another
from a dear “old” friend from England. Plus two e-cards.

Thank you.