BIRTH'DAYS' OR BIRTH'DATES'?
By
S. K. Adams
Just few hours to my birthday, I started receiving chunk of wishes from friends and family, most of whom I met recently during my youth service in ogbomoso southwest Nigeria. I must confess that birthdays are celebrated almost everyday especially by those who have colonies of friends and colleagues especially in a place like the youth service Corp. To my surprise, the first thing a friend you recently come into close acquaintance with wants to know about you after few days is 'what or when is your birthday? '
The first time I was asked this question by a friend of mine( a lady), I struggled to understand the rationale behind asking that question. I had to give her the wrong date for two reasons. Firstly, It would have suffice to give just the month and the day though, but I thought I have to include the year too, I wouldn't like to appear like a young chap that my friends back home have always accused me of being. It has belittle me before them at home despite my physical appearance. Hence, telling her the actual date I felt may belittle me, she may also conclude wrongly that I am actually a young guy that ate plenty spaghetti to grow long legs.
Secondly, I was actually afraid that it may end up in one babalawo's shrine in one old village, for reasons I myself am not sure of. I have learn to be wary of ladies who appear very ambitious, hence I had to be very careful.
But I later found out that the whole idea was away too far from that. These chaps actually want to know your birthday because among other flimsy reasons, they want to be the first to wish you happy birthday on your birthday. In other words, everyone is competing to be the first to wish you or infact remind you that it is your birthday, and wish you happy birthday. It would be a class 'A' murder if a close friend can't remember your birthday to them, when the least of my concern is a birthday whatever.
But come to think of it, what is so special about birthdays? I for once have not yet come to terms with whatever is so very special about birthdays. Is it the gift of flowers that witter away after few hours, or the wrapped shiny gift of wrist watch, perfumes, dress, or is it the baked cake with assorted sugar. Or is it as some consider it, the yardstick to determine those who love and care about you? What exactly is so special about birthdays is what I personally can't understand. Initially, I thought my indifference towards birthdays was due to my northern upbringing. Up here birthdays use to be the least of our concern. Infact people who often celebrate birthdays are usually seen as been totally westernised in the strict sense of the word. But today, the whole idea of birthdays have changed even in the north, thanks to the social media especially facebook. With facebook no one can remain indifferent to birthdays because even when you chose not to remember your birthday perhaps because you don't care much, facebook will not only remind you but also your friends and before you blink your eyes, you'll start receiving birthday wishes on your timeline, via messenger, inbox or even whatsapp messenger.
But are birthdays worth celebrating? This is a question I have struggled to come to term with for a while now and after a closer look, I have come to the understanding that birthdays would have been better moments to weep, remorse, and reflect on. This is because it is a manifestation of the saying that we all shall taste the bitterness of death some day, and each day I hear people rejoicing with me wishing me happy birthday, I see myself moving closer to this unknown day.
But that is actually not where my problem with birthdays lie. Let's take a closer look at the word 'birthday', my understanding of the word especially from the literal meaning is a celebration of the 'Day' one is born. But birthdays today (and have always being) aren't actually celebrated on the day one is born if we all come to think of it. In actual fact, the actual birth'day'only comes by once every 5,6 or 11 years. Meaning that if for example one is born on Sunday 1st January, 1990 his birth'day' Which corresponds with the above day comes 11 years later on Sunday July 1st, 2001. The next two birth'days' come after six and five years respectively. In other words for someone born on Monday July 1st 1991, his or her first birth'day' in the coming year 1992, is not a Monday in fact it's not even a Tuesday but Wednesday! The 'dates' and not 'days' correspond. This means that, virtually all supposed birthdays are actually birth'dates'and not birth'days' because birth'days' should be celebrated every five, six, or eleven years as the case may be and not every year. When we celebrate birth'days' every year, what we celebrate are actually birth'dates'and not birth'days'.
When both the day and date match it fits the idea of birthdays and appear unique. Instead of celebrating birth'dates' it would have been better to celebrate birth'days' in the strict sense of the word which is when both the 'days' and 'dates' match. This simply means, that one wouldn't have to worry about celebrating birthdays yearly as this only comes every 5,6 or 11 years. Which means in 22 years for example one will only have to celebrate his or her birthdays only 3 times! I think that would have been fun, right? If I must celebrate, I prefer to celebrate birth'days' instead of birth'dates', what about you?
S. K. Adams
By
S. K. Adams
Just few hours to my birthday, I started receiving chunk of wishes from friends and family, most of whom I met recently during my youth service in ogbomoso southwest Nigeria. I must confess that birthdays are celebrated almost everyday especially by those who have colonies of friends and colleagues especially in a place like the youth service Corp. To my surprise, the first thing a friend you recently come into close acquaintance with wants to know about you after few days is 'what or when is your birthday? '
The first time I was asked this question by a friend of mine( a lady), I struggled to understand the rationale behind asking that question. I had to give her the wrong date for two reasons. Firstly, It would have suffice to give just the month and the day though, but I thought I have to include the year too, I wouldn't like to appear like a young chap that my friends back home have always accused me of being. It has belittle me before them at home despite my physical appearance. Hence, telling her the actual date I felt may belittle me, she may also conclude wrongly that I am actually a young guy that ate plenty spaghetti to grow long legs.
Secondly, I was actually afraid that it may end up in one babalawo's shrine in one old village, for reasons I myself am not sure of. I have learn to be wary of ladies who appear very ambitious, hence I had to be very careful.
But I later found out that the whole idea was away too far from that. These chaps actually want to know your birthday because among other flimsy reasons, they want to be the first to wish you happy birthday on your birthday. In other words, everyone is competing to be the first to wish you or infact remind you that it is your birthday, and wish you happy birthday. It would be a class 'A' murder if a close friend can't remember your birthday to them, when the least of my concern is a birthday whatever.
But come to think of it, what is so special about birthdays? I for once have not yet come to terms with whatever is so very special about birthdays. Is it the gift of flowers that witter away after few hours, or the wrapped shiny gift of wrist watch, perfumes, dress, or is it the baked cake with assorted sugar. Or is it as some consider it, the yardstick to determine those who love and care about you? What exactly is so special about birthdays is what I personally can't understand. Initially, I thought my indifference towards birthdays was due to my northern upbringing. Up here birthdays use to be the least of our concern. Infact people who often celebrate birthdays are usually seen as been totally westernised in the strict sense of the word. But today, the whole idea of birthdays have changed even in the north, thanks to the social media especially facebook. With facebook no one can remain indifferent to birthdays because even when you chose not to remember your birthday perhaps because you don't care much, facebook will not only remind you but also your friends and before you blink your eyes, you'll start receiving birthday wishes on your timeline, via messenger, inbox or even whatsapp messenger.
But are birthdays worth celebrating? This is a question I have struggled to come to term with for a while now and after a closer look, I have come to the understanding that birthdays would have been better moments to weep, remorse, and reflect on. This is because it is a manifestation of the saying that we all shall taste the bitterness of death some day, and each day I hear people rejoicing with me wishing me happy birthday, I see myself moving closer to this unknown day.
But that is actually not where my problem with birthdays lie. Let's take a closer look at the word 'birthday', my understanding of the word especially from the literal meaning is a celebration of the 'Day' one is born. But birthdays today (and have always being) aren't actually celebrated on the day one is born if we all come to think of it. In actual fact, the actual birth'day'only comes by once every 5,6 or 11 years. Meaning that if for example one is born on Sunday 1st January, 1990 his birth'day' Which corresponds with the above day comes 11 years later on Sunday July 1st, 2001. The next two birth'days' come after six and five years respectively. In other words for someone born on Monday July 1st 1991, his or her first birth'day' in the coming year 1992, is not a Monday in fact it's not even a Tuesday but Wednesday! The 'dates' and not 'days' correspond. This means that, virtually all supposed birthdays are actually birth'dates'and not birth'days' because birth'days' should be celebrated every five, six, or eleven years as the case may be and not every year. When we celebrate birth'days' every year, what we celebrate are actually birth'dates'and not birth'days'.
When both the day and date match it fits the idea of birthdays and appear unique. Instead of celebrating birth'dates' it would have been better to celebrate birth'days' in the strict sense of the word which is when both the 'days' and 'dates' match. This simply means, that one wouldn't have to worry about celebrating birthdays yearly as this only comes every 5,6 or 11 years. Which means in 22 years for example one will only have to celebrate his or her birthdays only 3 times! I think that would have been fun, right? If I must celebrate, I prefer to celebrate birth'days' instead of birth'dates', what about you?
S. K. Adams
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