Axl Rose and I have something in common.
We both turn 52-years-old today.
I used to think birthdays were overrated, even nonsensical. After all, they’re just random dates on a calendar. An excuse to dine out at a nicer restaurant than usual, or order a more expensive bottle of wine.
When I was younger, birthdays provided the occasion to go out and celebrate with friends. You could usually get away with more stuff when everyone realized it was your birthday. And you never had to pay for a thing. Everyone else bought the drinks, the cake, whatever.
But now this day isn’t much different than yesterday, or the day before that. Whether I’m exactly 52-years-old, or 51 years and 364 days seem pretty irrelevant to me.
Then again, with age comes wisdom.
I’ve come to recognize that birthdays can indeed be special. They provide us with an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been, where we’re going, and who we are. In a sense, birthdays are like looking up at life’s scoreboard. We don’t know how much time’s left in the game exactly. But we’re mindful of the score, the down, and how many yards there are still to go.
Birthdays serve another far greater purpose. They allow occasions to bestow acts of kindness. They give us that rare chance to share our feelings with those we know and care about the most. Birthdays are especially meaningful for children because they symbolize landmarks in maturity and development. Call them road markers along the highway to adulthood (believe me, kids, you don’t want to get to where you’re going — stay young!). For older people, birthdays become milestones of achievement. Reaching 80, 90, or 100 years old is a really big deal — and a proper occasion for celebration.
But what about 52?
Well — 52 can be special, too.
For me, that’s because of the nice words I read and the things I hear from other people, more so on this day than others.
I’m humbled by the outpouring of kind thoughts, many from strangers, many from people I’ve never even met. I couldn’t help but notice many posted to Facebook or sent me private e-mail messages. All I can say are a couple of words that don’t seem to be enough. But they’re all I have at the moment. Those two words are “thank you.”
I’m very lucky. To have friends. To have readers. I presume many of you are lucky, too if you think about your life compared to other people in the world, or those who lived in more difficult times. This truly is a golden age. For many.
On this day, I hereby make a vow. And I challenge you to do the same. Today, or any day you wish in the near future, go out of your way to say or do something nice for someone — particularly a person who isn’t as lucky as we are. Maybe it’s the neighbor who seems mean. Or the person you see walking each day who never says hello. Perhaps it’s just the next stranger you meet. Take a few seconds to say something nice when the occasion arises. See what happens.
My guess is, many of you will get no reaction at all. Perhaps you’ll be disappointed by this. Well, don’t be. You tried. Maybe you just caught the other person on a bad day. We all have bad days.
On the other hand, some of you will be greeted by smiles you didn’t expect and perhaps even a few kind words in return. Words that you might not have heard had you not made the important first step. I think we need a lot more first steps. Don’t you?
The best gifts don’t come in boxes. They have little to do with birthdays or holidays. They have everything to do with a little bit of courage and a bold act of kindness, which can sometimes go such a long way.
Once again, thank you for sharing part of your life’s journey with me.