Post Christmas Spirit

I am personally glad to have Christmas over and done with this year! It just seems at times too materialistic these days. Most of us spend more time and money for just one day instead of celebrating the joy of having family and friendship everyday. I know it sounds sappy but I feel it’s true. I have to honestly say that it is harder for me to get to really enjoy Christmas because my birthday is the day before Christmas. It’s true what they say…I do get ripped off…but not in the way that you think. I don’t really care about getting presents that are meant for both my birthday and Christmas. No….what I do really care about is the acknowledgment that I get for my birthday in the shadow of Christmas. I often get ripped off because it’s been the case that people will forget my birthday in the spirit of the Christmas rush. All I need….all I want.....is a simple card, an email, or just a simple phone call that just says those few words....the acknowledgement that makes me happy and joyous. All I need and all I want is just to be remembered by those that I cared about.
In so being that I do not want to feel this way, these last few years I have wanted to be as I have wanted in my quest to give acknowledgement. It’s the golden rule of caring really…..if you want to be remembered, then you have to remember yourself for others needs. I have tried to think about other’s birthdays, to send maybe a simple card, or an email, or just a phone call to both my family and friends to say that I am remembering them on their birthday. I may not make a difference because they may have already had their family, friends, and significant others give them that birthday message, but I hope to make some contribution of remembrance even if they don’t even reciprocate. I tried to do my best, to remember everyone’s birthday.
Still, not everyone remembers. Even though most of the people I know acknowledged my birthday in some form or another, there are a few friends and even family that forget or do even acknowledge all together. It especially hurts when it’s someone close to you. My grandmother did not acknowledge my birthday this year, nor even the last few years. I can say it’s because she is getting old and doesn’t remember, but I learned from my mom that my grandmother doesn’t even acknowledge her own daughter’s birthday! I may understand but it still hurts. All you want for your birthday is that one person to say those few words that makes your day bright, yet when it does not come, you feel alone and unwanted. That explains why I may take the time to acknowledge a friend or family member’s birthday.
So in turn, when that person’s birthday what do you do? It is very easy to just not acknowledge their birthday, to not even send a card, write an email, or just call. Why should you take the time to do so when they didn’t have the decency to say just those few words. Just give up on them, let it go, don’t do anything with them....that’s the golden rule right. I know how easy it is to give up on someone, even if you care about them so much it hurts. You want to hurt them, or even worse, just ignore them. I know because I’ve done it before. It’s easy to do so. But in the end, I finally realize as I get older, that course of action does not make it easier to do or make you any happier. If you keep doing that, you end up hurting yourself because you lose that person that you may care or love, even though they might not feel the same. You lose your own heart and spirit in the long run and life becomes a pit of quicksand of depression and sorrow.
So these last few years, through the high’s and low’s that I have experienced in my 25 years of life, I’ve tried to make the decision of doing what I feel is right, though it may not have the results that I want. I know I carry away a piece of each person that I meet, have known, and care for and I have hoped they have done the same. I doing so, I have tried to acknowledge that love and caring by doing little things for those that I call my friends and family. I know by sending a card for Christmas or calling on a birthday may seem simple but it always the simples things that make life what it is. I will continue doing things such as sending cards on birthdays and Christmas to those I care for, though it may not be reciprocated, but I don’t mind. However, I am still going to acknowledge the birthday’s of all my friends and family, because I care enough to do so. I choose to do so!