Indianz.Com > News > Clara Caufield: When do birthdays become less important?
birthday cake
Happy Birthday! Photo: Paul Downey
When do birthdays become less important?
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
By Clara Caufield
Native Sun News Columnist
nativesunnews.today

Remember being a kid when birthdays were eagerly anticipated, a golden day, occasion for a party when we got to be the center of attention: Mom or grandma cooking up our favorite treats, even only hot dogs and chips, baking a favorite cake, gaily wrapped presents and secretly even looking to the birthday spanking, giggling while trying to evade pesky brothers, cousins, etc. all determined to give a good swat?

That seems to last through high school and then the anticipation birthdays gradually wains becoming “just another day”. Yet as we grow into “elder” status, it once again becomes an occasion for celebration, the birthday person often wondering how he/she got so darn old.

“If I’d known I’d live this long, I’d have treated myself better,” is a common remark. One other hand, we can also say “It’s been one hellava ride and I’m not ready to be turned out to pasture just yet. Might have a few more goes left in me.”

That’s why I and my gang of fellow oldsters recently threw a birthday party for Tom, the baby of the bunch, now 61. We put on the dawg for him: barbeque, beverages for every taste and inclination, my special dark chocolate/cherry torte, complete with candles. It was trick to get them all lit. He got cards and some great gifts, even the gag type. The greatest gift, of course was our time and the attention lavished upon him – king for a day.

Tom is a white guy, but doesn’t really know it, having been born and raised on the Crow reservation, counting many friends and relatives among us.

NATIVE SUN NEWS TODAY

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Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com

Note: Copyright permission Native Sun News Today
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