Why wait for their funeral? Tell them why you love them on their birthday
Today was my 37th birthday and I let a few good friends know exactly what I thought of them!
It was a little bit scary, but it had to be done.
So we headed to my favorite beach, we ate and drank and we watched our children playing in sparkling blue mid-winter waters. And we formed a natural circle, so it was inevitable that the talking should begin.
I told one she was deeply inspiring in her wise ways, namely the acceptance and warm embrace of all aspects of her self. I told another I loved her gentle, kind, generous ways, and that she was like a sister to me. I told another he was as direct and powerful as bullet in flight, and also deeply, deeply sensitive and I loved that.
I told them all, my dear friends, exactly what I thought about them. And they gave it right back to me.
It made me want to cry good happy tears. And it should warm my heart for a good twelve months, if last year’s any thing to go by.
“This sure beats a funeral,” I said to them.
I like to pass this on to my friends on their special days too. While I will admit it can be a tad overwhelming to be so heartily appreciated by a group of people all at once, it’s also wonderful to know just how truly loved we are.
Why wait until we’re dead to pay homage to our loved ones at an event they don’t even physically attend? Birthday’s are a great excuse, just once a year, to be brave and tell our people exactly why we love them.
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Tags: appreciation
Really inspiring Charlotte!!
And very much why I have become involved in Celebrancy. Supporting people to open up and articulate their feelings and celebrate each other is the most rewarding this I have ever done. And I am a community artist by vocation so its pretty life enhancing on my work front already!!?
Had the pleasure of being at the national Celebrancy Conference a few months back and was so conscious of the the grounded warm strength of these celebrants! So life enhancing – so real world and human – people who walked with families amid the challenge joy and pain of life all the time encouraging communication and openness.
Reckon each time we find the courage to do as you described we are paving the way for others to feel comfortable doing the same – very gutsy and fabulous,
Warm wishes,
Erica
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Wow Erica, thanks for your comment! I’m intrigued, what exactly is Celebrancy? And being a community artist by vocation sounds really interesting too by the way.
Yeah, as I said, it really does take courage, but it sure does fill the heart with this amazing sense of love that just keeping on giving – whether you’re giving or receiving. I could go on and on about this subject … but I shall stop now and get on with the work I intended to do when I turned on the computer
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Happy slightly late birthday you powerhouse of positivity and bright light. xx sporty spice
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Hey there sporty, nice to hear from you
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What a beautiful thing to do, and on your birthday too!
My birthday is also on July the 30th and I enjoyed the company of close family members in front of a fire at home. I felt very excited to host them all and told them so. Often we have gone out somewhere for dinner, but it felt wonderful to be at home and enjoy the gift of their presence, and to respond by nourishing them with food, warmth and the joy of companionship.
Great to be a happyzine subscriber.
tim
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Great to have you with us Tim
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