Why I Write Long Birthday Posts

 Someone asked me today why I write long posts for birthdays in a way that insinuated they thought it was over the top and truly thought it was just plain old strange. And it got me thinking about why I do; it got me thinking about a specific fear of mine.

The fear of loss. I feel like this is such a common fear, one that can be crippling if it’s not dealt with.

I was young when my Father was hit by a car walking across the street. His heart stopped and it’s truly by the Grace of God that he survived. My, my, my, how different my life would be if we lost him that day.

I think about that more than I wish did. It’s a weird thing when you think of how you could have lost someone. When you think of how drastically different your life could be without them. That “what if” has changed my perspective forever and for that I’m thankful.

Back in High School, I went to a candle light vigil for a guy, a kind guy who passed away too young. I considered him a friend, but not a close one. I thought about how even though we weren’t close and it probably would have felt weird, I wish I would have just told him little things. Like how I really appreciated his kindness not just to me but to so many others I had witnessed. 

I’ve always been a sappy sentimental cheeseball, but that experience allowed me to see that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know someone completely and wholly, it doesn’t matter if you’re not incredibly close with them or if you’re more of just an acquaintance, it’s never “too weird” to thank someone for being the person they are.

I truly feel so blessed to have the people I have in my life. I feel blessed that I get to love them every day. I feel blessed that I get to tell them how I feel about them because one day, I won’t be able to.

I don’t post my birthday or just random posts about my family and friends for kicks and grins or likes and comments. I post about them because I think PDA is beautiful. I post because the people who are in my life are in my life to love. I post because I don’t ever want to wish I had told someone something when I no longer had the chance. I write these little letters to the people I love because I think people are placed in our lives so that we can uplift them and appreciate them.

I don’t want to wait till I have lost someone to talk about how wonderful they were or how much I love them or how much their friendship meant to me. I don’t want them to go a day without knowing that they are so loved. I will never regret telling the people I love that I love them, but I don’t think I would be able to say the same if I chose not to.

I’m petrified of losing the people in my life and I wind up in a puddle of tears whenever the thought crosses my mind, but as I need to remind myself daily, God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control.

So drop a compliment when you think of it, go out of your way to encourage someone even on your bad days, and love on those around you every chance you get, because you never know when you might not be able to.