Well friends, another year has come and gone.
I used to dread my birthday—not necessarily because I was getting older (we all are), but because I didn’t like the attention.
If you’ve been around these parts long enough, you know ya girl is an introvert. Like IN-TRO-VERT to the exact meaning of the word. I don’t enjoy the spotlight, I don’t love being the center of a celebration, and I’ve always been more of a behind-the-scenes, back-of-the-room kind of person. I’ll happily cheer you on while you bask in the attention, but me? Hard pass.
That’s why birthdays felt… complicated.
Two years ago, though, something shifted. I was at a women’s Bible study when someone casually mentioned that it was my birthday (thanks to Facebook, which has since been hidden from public view for obvious reasons, lol). After she wished me a “happy birthday,” a few others chimed in. I smiled, said polite thank-yous, but I know my discomfort showed.
One of the women there, a few years ahead of me in life and faith, gently pulled me aside and acknowledged what she saw. She didn’t dismiss my feelings, but she did challenge them. She said, “Birthdays should be celebrated because they’re a gift from God. Each year is a reminder that He has given you more life, more purpose, and more time to grow in Him. Celebrating isn’t about attention—it’s about gratitude.”
And friends, that shook me.
I had never thought of birthdays as an act of worship or thanksgiving. For me, they were always awkward social obligations or days to just get through quietly (and *hopefully* without a lot of attention). But this new perspective changed things. Birthdays aren’t about me—they’re about recognizing the One who gives life and breath and purpose. They’re about pausing to say, “Thank You, God, for letting me be here for another year.”
The New Way I See Birthdays
Now days, I don’t throw huge parties for myself or suddenly love being the center of attention, but I do allow myself to pause and celebrate differently. I’ve always enjoyed small celebrations with just my family of five—sharing a meal, laughing together, keeping things simple. And even before my perspective shifted, I would quietly treat myself to something special on my birthday, whether it was a favorite dessert, a cozy drink, or a little outing. I see those small joys of my birthday as a way of honoring God’s gift of another year—sometimes it’s as simple as that quiet cup of coffee, reflecting on the year behind me, and whispering a prayer of thanks for the year ahead.
Because even though I’m introverted and often resistant to attention, I’ve realized that letting others celebrate me is also a way of letting them love me.
If birthdays have ever felt uncomfortable, heavy, or “too much” for you, I want to encourage you the way my friend encouraged me: birthdays aren’t about drawing attention to ourselves—they’re about drawing gratitude to God.
They’re reminders that life is fragile, fleeting, and oh-so precious. They’re a chance to pause and celebrate His faithfulness in bringing us through another year.
So, whether you celebrate big or small, with a crowd or in quiet reflection, may your next birthday feel less like an obligation and more like a sacred moment of gratitude.
