I've heard mixed reviews on birthdays lately. One girl adamantly insisted that birthdays are terrible things because they are always accompanied by let-downs.
That's sad.
None of my first 15 birthdays included surprise birthday parties, and I decided I wanted one. So, instead of waiting around, hoping someone would read my mind, I threw my own surprise party. I called everyone and told them to show up at my house ten minutes early for my surprise party. When the day came, I left a half hour before the party and ran some errands. When i came home, I had my own surprise party. Piece of cake, right?
Another way to make your birthday good is to rock at everything you do that day. That's what my Dad did last week on his birthday.
We went on a horse ride that morning and the horse I was riding was being a pill. It's usually a pill, and I have a hard time getting it to settle down. As my impatience collided with the horse's frenzy, I frustratedly told my Dad and sister to go on without me because I didn't want to deal with it. My Dad offered to take the horse, saying he'd deal with it. I shrugged my shoulders and switched horses. My Dad proceeded to kill the horse's stupidity with patience and singing. I was so impressed. I realized the power of patience when I saw it contrasted with my horse training skills and watched it prevail.
Later that day, we played scrabble. I was doing well, keeping in the game. At one point, I put down a word in order to prevent the others from grabbing a triple word box. I failed. I accidentally set Dad up for a 99 point word, which he took advantage of.
After Scrabble, we played pool. He wasted us before we could even get started.
I don't think, after a day like that, he has a negative impression of birthdays.
So, for your next birthday, go show that you rock at life.
