Birthday Wishes

While November signals the start of the holiday season for most people, here at Language of Friendship, we tend to think of November as birthday season. Sara shared last year that our LOF editorial team, and even her dog Winnie, all have birthdays within the same week!

And despite how busy life gets, birthdays provide the perfect opportunity to reach out to a friend on their special day and let them know you are thinking of them. Friends play crucial roles in our lives, and as Shelby Copeland wrote in Oprah Daily earlier this year, “Your BFF’s birthday is also a reason for you to celebrate, because they’re the ones who help us through the biggest hurdles and inspire us to thrive.”

Even if you can’t mark the special day with a friend in person, there are many ways to let them know that you are thinking of them. The countless texts and Facebook messages I received earlier this week reminded me of how many amazing people I have in my corner. And the beautiful flowers pictured above that I received from Sara and her family were an unexpected surprise that makes me smile each day.

Don’t just count the years. Make the years count.

George Meredith

My birthday fell on a Wednesday this year, and I anticipated a typical day at work with meetings and deadlines to manage. However, one of the first emails I received that morning was the announcement to our global marketing team that it was my birthday. It went on to share a few nuggets about my favorite birthday meal (chocolate cake), and my birthday wish (a détente between my teen boys for the day).

I had forgotten about the short ‘birthday survey’ I filled out when I started my new job, yet on Wednesday it became clear that my department takes birthdays seriously. Throughout the day I received dozens of birthday greetings from around the globe, some from colleagues I had yet to meet, sharing how they also enjoy chocolate or can empathize with parenting teens. A lovely card filled with kind messages from my team was placed on my desk, and my boss coordinated a few colleagues to join us at lunch.

Birthdays are a reminder of how gestures large and small, can make us feel more connected to one another. And as Sara’s birthday falls on Veterans Day, recognizing those who served is also important to LOF this month. This week I read about Michigan WWII veteran William Aldrich celebrating his 98th birthday. With less than 1% of WWII veterans still alive today, Aldrich’s friends wanted to make his milestone day special. At 98, he still plays golf daily, so the friends chipped in to buy his golf club membership fee for the coming year. A meaningful birthday gift that helps keep Aldrich going both physically and emotionally.

Aldrich’s birthday wish? “To live to be 100.”