The Anti-Birthday
Today is my Anti-birthday. For the uninformed, an Anti-birthday is not the same thing as an Un-birthday. We have, according to the Mad Hatter, 364
Un-birthdays in a given calendar year. Thus, his celebrations, and endless supply of tableware. As a confirmed ‘tea jenny’, I’m envious.
An Anti-birthday, like a Birthday, happens only once each year. It is the date exactly opposite that of the Birthday. The “other side of the world,” so to speak. Let duality have its way with our definitions, and it usually does so.
I used to think, that if our Spirits shine brightly on our Birthdays, the day being an exalted alignment and all, then the Anti-birthday must be some kind of antithesis of that. A dark day for us. But how could that be? My Spirit told me differently.
I used to think, that due to the hemispheric influences of these days in my calendar growing up, that the Birthday was the day the inner and outer suns shone longest and brightest (and of course it inevitably rained…) and the Anti-Birthday was the opposite… due to it being close to the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. As the world turned, so did my special days. But how could that be?
I used to think, that these days had no special value at all… and therefore, unbeknown to my conscious mind, neither did I. But how could that be? “You are mine, “ quoth SHE.
“Oh, you’re always wanting to think you’re special,” said the voice of the negative ego… just as much ego as the other kind, and twice as sneaky. False humility, much? {Oh goodness, I just used the “Valley” voice… how funny!} Nothing snuffs negative ego like laughter… a bit like a boggart, this.
I used to think, that this day deserved… did not deserve… was worth… was not worth… oh goodness, bored now!
I used to think… and that was, largely, the difficulty.
The way this precious day feels, though so similar to all the others, is close, quiet, and sacred…A time of reverent introspection. A time, not to look at past or future, but of BEING PRESENT. And that, is the gift of this day. As it is, of course, of all the others.
On my 50th birthday, {yes, that was awhile ago now} I gave my first ever self-created Birthday party, giving gifts to everyone who showed up. I had prepared gifts for everyone invited, and it felt a little odd that a few chose not to arrive to claim the proffered love. And yet… is that not ofttimes the way of things?
The love is not less ladled, when unclaimed. It is not worth less. It is not value-less, even when it has gone unnoticed, or has been received with less than what valued might look like to any part of self or other.
Happy Anti-birthday to you, whose representative I am, on this day.
May you be valued. May you feel worthy. May you know you are loved and cherished. Because you are here, in a body, on a world gone weird, being the best that you are.
Every day we do the best we are able. Rarely do we live up to our own exacting standards… such was my journey. May it no longer be yours. May it no longer be ours. May we celebrate the best that we are, no matter what, each. and every. day.
Happy Anti-birthday to me. And to you, who I see in life’s mirror, each and every day.
~ Namaste ~
