“Our” Birthday! – by Cara Potapshyn Meyers

Wow! He finally “got it!” It only took him nine years! Lol! Today, Monday, August 6, is my son’s ninth birthday! Mine is tomorrow. Over the years, since his birth, I have always considered our birthdays one and the same. Although I always made sure that my son’s birthday was a bigger celebratory event than my own. 

When I planned my son’s birthdays, I always felt as if I was planning my own. And I loved doing it every year! After all, my son has been and always will be my own very special birthday gift! Planning and celebrating his birthdays has brought enormous joy to me! I never felt left out of the “celebratory feeling” in any way. I did, however, miss the fact that because of all the hooplah surrounding my son’s birthday and celebration, he could only focus on his own special day. My birthday never “existed” to him.

Up until he was five, I could completely understand him not being able to remember nor recall that my birthday was a day after his. He was much too young. Since then, however, he hadn’t been able to focus on any other birthday other than his own. How could he with a huge gathering of all his friends and family for exciting parties and wonderful gifts? I never really minded being “forgotten” by him. After all, he was a young boy. But I always hoped he would one day realize that our birthdays are so close together, they could almost be one and the same. Well, he finally made the connection!

When we were planning our “family” celebration for my son, this evening, and knowing that I wouldn’t see my son until later in the evening tomorrow, he chimed up and said, “Mommy, why don’t you share your birthday with mine! It can be both of our birthdays!” I swooped him up and kissed him relentlessly! His comment and connection that we could celebrate our birthdays on the same day is now my second fabulous birthday gift! I told him that his idea not only made me the happiest person in the world, but that I would be honored to share birthdays with him!

My life now feels complete! The same feeling I have felt for the past nine years is now being felt by my son! Because he is the one who “came up” with the idea, my birthday and my life are fulfilled! I don’t need gifts, a cake, a party, candles, cards nor anything else material! My only greatest hope, after nine years, had been that my son would regard my birthday with some acknowledgement…finally that day has come!

Had my son continued to “forget” my birthday, I would still understand and keep “our” birthday to myself. I figured that at some point in time, my son would realize that our birthdays are so close, they could have been one and the same. Especially since my son was born only three hours before mine. I didn’t want it that way, though. I wanted his birthday to come before mine. I wanted everything celebratory for him to come first. I didn’t want my birthday to overshadow his. I hoped and prayed and my wish came true! Even if only three hours early!

So tonight, on my son’s birthday, we will be celebrating “our” birthday for the very first time! I can hardly wait! Blowing out birthday candles with my son together! Nothing could be better than that! Absolutely nothing!

Tags: birthdays, Cara Potapshyn Meyers, celebration, son