January 28, 1970. My Birthday! What a special day. As I have read the words Happy Birthday over and over through the last few days, it triggered my thinking about those words. Who even started the phrase and what made them feel the necessity to wish someone to have a happy day in remembrance of the day they were born? That's it! Simply put, "I am happy that you were born!"
I have heard it said that it is important to know your birth story. I remember my mom telling me many times about how stubborn I was and refusing to move my arm down to my side so that I could be born. How the doctors wanted to break my arm, but my mom wouldn't let them. How they ended up tickling me, which worked, and I eventually was born with my arm by my side and my hand on my face which resulted in some discoloration for a little while. I have told the stories of my own children's births many times as well. Seems they both took on my stubbornness when it came to wanting to do things their way when it came time to be born. The story of your birth. A story your mother will probably never forget.
The story of your birth just begins the story of your life. It's the first chapter. Each year producing another chapter of your life story. Chapters of mystery and misery. Chapters of celebration and sorrow. Chapters of triumph and trials. All chapters carrying the thread of your life throughout your story. A thread of promise, or mercy, or favor, or grace. A piece of the thread revealed in each chapter as God is revealed to you through all of your experiences.
So keep writing your story. (I have to learn that I don't have wait for it to edited and perfect before I share it.) Someone wants to hear your story. Someone needs to hear your story.
Happy Birthday! It can mean many things: I am happy you were born. I am happy to be born. I am happy to have a life story that started on this day.
So to everyone who will have a birthday this year - Happy first day of your story! I hope I get to hear it sometime!
Fun at Fifty,
Tori
