top of page

My Dilemma with Birthdays (DONATE for better causes)


I've always believed that my heart is in the center of a crater on the dark side of Pluto, it can't be thawed. ("The temperature on Pluto ranges from -387 to -369 Fahrenheit (-233 to -223 Celsius)" According to Caltech.) I know, how "melodramatic", but I like to be "on-brand). I always value logic over "emotions".

A normal conversation would be something like so:

Some happy person: "I love Christmas shopping!"

Me: "Umm, actually... you are probably better off giving someone cash if you want the greatest receiver-satisfaction. Also, gift cards are a leech on the economy."

Yes, I am that person. I still follow social norms but I try to avoid them as much as possible if they aren't the best logically. Obviously, often times you would have to weigh all the pros and cons of everything and then determine which you value as the better alternative, which I usually try to do. However, when it comes to birthdays, I am either a hypocrite or a narcissist. I know how arbitrary calendars are, let alone birthdays. Not to mention, it angers me when someone decides their gigantic life decision solely on this random numbers' correlation to a random pattern in the sky created by balls of fusion light years away. But here's my confession, I love it when people remember my birthday! When they say those special phrase, my heart melts with happiness. I also get upset when my closest friends and family forget. And in the U.S. birthday, the date is not even the same day that I celebrate it. If adjusted according to time zones with my time of birth, it should be the day before at least. I am not even thinking about leap years (or extra time that we arbitrarily add to an arbitrary day)! It defies logic that I put so much care into a day that literally has no significance. I don't throw a party or anything. (If you're older than 10 and throwing a party every year for your birthday, I don't know what to say). It just makes me "feel good". I am just human.

Humans are having this same problem with conservation. (Transition) Most want the best for the planet. Most know that some actions are just better than others. Our $1,000 can be better spent donating to American Red Cross than a new phone, we know that. We still spend it on ourselves regardless because we are selfish creatures. We can only think of ourselves and at most our immediate family. I could've bought a goat to give to a village family who would've used it for milk, grazing and eventually meat. Instead, I spent that money on countless bubble tea and macaroon runs. I didn't even donate to the Bangladeshi flood relief effort (as of yet). Many who are versed in the effects of global warming and climate change are the same. No individual actually wants to give up their plastic, their new, shiny car, their big yard. We only want what's best for us right now. That's human. But it is also human to go beyond our base instinct and "evolve". We will never fully get rid of that instinct but through learning our flaws, we can probably accept and find solutions to curb these instincts to the best of our abilities. I find that this only can be accomplished through learning. About ourselves and each other.

So, I will try to understand that my family can often be busy with saving lives than to be dedicated to me and also understand that it's normal to feel forgotten or angry when such a thing occurs. I will also try to be more accepting of what gives others joy and not be such a "Debbie-downer". To be honest, I was going to write about how I hate birthdays in the morning, but my views are certainly less abrasive now. I guess this whole experience is symbolic or something, I don't know.

Anyway, happy birthday, Tima!

Some articles:


Featured Posts
Recent Posts
Archive
Search By Tags
No tags yet.
Follow Us
  • Facebook Basic Square
  • Twitter Basic Square
  • Google+ Basic Square
bottom of page