Birthday Wishes--Whatever Way You Do It Will Be Appreciated

I know I am not alone when I say sometimes the older you get birthdays are just different. Every day you wake and can say you have made it another day is a birthday. When you are young like my granddaughter's both are excitement abounds with celebrating with friends, games, cake and ice cream.  A young face holding up little fingers to indicate how old they will be put a smile on your face. Yes, we all did that same gesture at one time in our life, but now not enough fingers and toes can be found to do that same gesture for me.

I am always amazed at someone who has reach 100 years old all the wonderful, interesting and ever changing world they have experienced. Sometimes the faster paced and ever changing world becomes overwhelming I am sure.

Over the weekend I again got inspiration for my blog from CBS Sunday Morning.

Toledo, OH retired salesman Jim Gagnon really always enjoyed his job. He loved meeting people and learning about them. So much so over the years he has kept track of many of them on every birthday. Many hand written ledgers of people he met selling or some he only met once briefly but believed it was important enough to keep birthday information on them and each day takes time to make a phone call, ask them how they are, and then wish them a Happy Birthday. Some might think well what else does he have to do with his spare time? But, actually such a warm, kind and thoughtful message can make a person's day even better. It really takes such a little moment in even a busy schedule.

For those social media users, Facebook will alert you of your friends birthdays if you want. Sometimes on certain days I may have two or more friends that I always try and make sure I send them even a one sentence message on the big day. I'm sure they appreciate and how long can it take really?

I have a few childhood friends that for some strange reason the date just sticks out in my mind. One is around the time my traditional school year would get out for summer break so that is pretty easy to remember. The other childhood friend was really the only person I knew for a long time that had an August birthday. A few years ago both mentioned "WOW we can't believe you remember".

Some dates really stick in my mind because they have the same birthday as a relative. No limit seems to exist for some dates. 

Be it a card, a phone message (really please don't text), a lunch or dinner date, a small token of the day its always nice to be wished birthday greetings. You never know, you just might make the person's day even more special. I kinda wish I knew Jim Gagnon.