Lost in the Light

Today's my birthday day.
I'm 21 years old.
If I weren't LDS, this might mean something more significant and exciting.
Maybe elicit a hoot or a holler.

I have trouble with birthdays.
I've never liked them.
I do not like being the center of attention.
I would rather hang on the wall. Let someone else take the limelight.
Let me watch. Let me laugh along. But let someone else tell the joke.
Let me blend. The last thing I want is to stand out.

But upon talking with a dear, dear friend,
he talked to me about sharing.
The act of sharing yourself.
He told me about how he used to hate his birthday. It was a day that he wanted to keep to himself, not talk to anyone, wait for the day to pass and for a new day to start.
But then he learned something:
there are people who care about you. People who want to celebrate and be around you.
And a birthday is a perfect day for just that.

So he told me to think about sharing myself.
To allow people to love me.
To share myself for the sake of others.
Because as much as I constantly tell myself that people don't notice,
that people don't really think twice,
that people don't care,

              they do.

And I need to give them that.
I need to give people more credit than I do.
I need to let them celebrate.
Even if it makes me shake my head, wrinkle my nose, and cover my face in sheer embarrassment.
Because people love. People care. And people notice.

So happy, happy birthday, Emmajo.
Here's to another year.
Here's to another start.
Go out there and learn to share yourself.
For the sake of others.
For the sake of your own well-being.

                     And have a big slice of cake, while you're at it.

* Lost in the Light -- Bahamas