Why We Must Always Celebrate Our Birthdays (And Go Skydiving)!
Like most people, I'm a fan of birthday parties. Still, some of us don't appreciate birthdays as much as we should—especially when reaching significant milestones. Have you ever had a milestone birthday you weren't overly excited about? Maybe you felt like the number symbolized the loss of your youth?
As we age, it's common for people to dread their birthdays, particularly milestones like 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70. Reaching these milestones often means we're getting 'old,' but I like to remind people, that is the goal. Don't we all want to live a long and healthy life? (With an emphasis on the healthy part).
Why did humans start celebrating birthdays in the first place?
While the exact origin of the birthday party isn't fully documented, people have been celebrating birthdays for a long time. Ancient civilizations first celebrated the birthdays of gods and deities, but eventually, celebrating the lives of members of the nobility and ordinary people became commonplace. That said, I have a theory that people also started celebrating birthdays because they weren't guaranteed their next one. If you made it another trip around the sun, you were lucky! Before the advent of modern medicine, people were more in touch with their mortality and the fragility of life. The average life expectancy at birth in medieval England was only 31.3 years old. If you survived to age 25, you would likely live until age 50 (DeWitte, n.d.). Still, you could be confident you'd reach your demise sooner than in modern times. Today, the average life expectancy in Canada is 82 years old! (Statistics Canada, 2015)
Celebrate your birthday because you're not guaranteed your next one…
While it might seem like a morbid perspective, it's a vital perspective. The one thing that's certain for all of us; the only guarantee in life is that we will all die. It's a universal truth; we've got a one-way ticket. According to existential theory, religious beliefs involving an afterlife were developed to help cope with the anxiety associated with the certainty of death.
How is appreciating death vital for living a fulfilling life?
Anticipating and appreciating our own death is a healthy perspective. Sure, we don't want to die today, tomorrow, this week, next week, next month, or next year—not anytime soon. However, appreciating that we will all perish and don't know when that day will come forces a perspective of gratitude and appreciation for the present moment. You will live a more fulfilling life if you consider death. I hope I get the luxury of growing old in good health. If I do, I hope I have time to reflect on my life. In those moments of reflection, I would also wish to look back on my life, knowing that I lived a fulfilling life. I hope I can feel comfortable accepting death because I lived fully in the moment, appreciating the gift of life and making the most of it.
When birthdays come around, it's an opportune time for reflection and valuing our lives. But imagine that we didn't just hold this appreciation on our birthdays. Imagine you had the reverence to live with profound gratitude for life on a regular basis. Would you change anything? Would you shift your perspective in a way that gifts you an appreciation for everyday experiences, causing you to live more fully in the moment?
Awareness of mortality helps us prioritize what truly matters. It encourages us to make the most of the present moment with clarity of values, gratitude and appreciation, prioritizing relationships and pursuing our dreams. This awareness helps us overcome fears and take risks we might otherwise avoid.
While this post comes about one month after my birthday in May, it is timely. Last weekend, a friend and I (born only three days apart) celebrated our birthdays by skydiving! I agreed to hurl my body out of a perfectly good plane and step well beyond my comfort zone thanks to this perspective on mortality. Embracing life's uncertainty helps us embark on transformative experiences that lead to personal growth and fulfillment.
Jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet…
Skydiving is an exhilarating and adrenaline-pumping experience that takes you to the edge of your comfort zone and beyond. As you move to the edge of the plane's open door, you feel a rush of emotions flood over you. Fear and doubt briefly creep in, reminding you of the inherent risks, but they are quickly overshadowed by an overwhelming sense of freedom. When you leave the aircraft, you are suspended in mid-air, weightless, and engulfed in a sensory overload like no other.
In freefall, the adrenaline takes over. The wind rushes past, your heart pounds in your chest, and your senses are heightened to the extreme. It's a blend of intense euphoria, a rush of energy, and an indescribable feeling of being alive. The sheer speed and vastness of the sky leave you in awe as you witness the world from a birdseye view.
When the parachute opens, a sense of calm comes over you. The noise subsides, and you find yourself gliding peacefully through the air. Tranquillity settles in, allowing you to appreciate the breathtaking views and the surreal experience. It's a moment of pure bliss, an intimate connection with the elements and a profound sense of accomplishment.
After the jump, I felt a sense of pride and achievement wash over me. I conquered fears and pushed the boundaries of what I thought possible. The memories and emotions will stay with me long after my feet touched the ground, forever imprinted as a testament to the incredible adventure.
Living life to the fullest
Appreciating your mortality indeed has a profound impact on how you live your life and contributes to more fulfillment. It may initially seem morbid, but it is a vital perspective that serves as a powerful motivator for living a more meaningful and satisfying existence. I strongly recommend you try skydiving, and I strongly recommend you celebrate your birthdays, and relish the gift of growing old.
#gratefuleveryday
References:
DeWitte, S. (n.d.). Old age isn’t a modern phenomenon – many people lived long enough to grow old in the olden days, too. University of South Carolina. https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2022/08/conversation-old-age-is-not-a-modern-phenomenon.php
Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2015, December 17). Life expectancy at various ages, by population group and sex, Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310013401
