"Birthdays" by Elena Goodrow
Today, March 3rd, is my birthday!
Birthdays can be a tough subject for a lot of people, especially those with progressive illnesses like cystic fibrosis. When I was little, my parents always threw fantastic birthday parties for me. I would get to pick whatever I wanted to do, and the day always began with going to Waffle House (A popular diner chain across the Southeastern United States, if you aren’t familiar). I have wonderful birthday memories throughout my childhood, and looking back I can see that my parents wanted to make sure each birthday was as special as possible because we didn’t know if it would be my last. The subject of mortality was normalized so much for me as a child that I wasn’t very bothered by it. I lived each day as if it was my last, and I still try to do that. Living life to the fullest is more difficult when I’m juggling multiple jobs and responsibilities as an adult, but I can try, nonetheless.
I’m very appreciative of my parents and their attitude around birthdays. Thanks to them my birthday is my favorite day out of the whole year, and I always have a fun time celebrating.
However, I recognize it’s not like that for everyone.
Birthdays can be very emotional and they can stir up a lot of anxiety, regardless of your health. I know people that are terrified of the inevitability of aging and their birthday is a difficult reminder of that.