by Claudia Schwarz
Austria
So it happened to be my birthday this week while we were in Cleveland. And what I would like to share with everyone is what I learned from this birthday in the form of a "what to do" and "what not to do" list:
What not to do on your birthday:
- be upset about things you can’t change
- follow the lead of someone who has a bad sense of direction
- attend a tour of a facility that feels like you’ve had it before
- wait around for people, vans, better times, or whatever it was we were waiting for
And here is the much better list:
What to do on your birthday:
- have waffles and fresh fruit for breakfast
- have 20 people from 17 different countries congratulate you
- get a card signed by everyone with good wishes in languages you can’t even read
- get a bar of your very favorite chocolate as a present (how on earth did you know that??)
- have Gambo sing happy birthday to you
- receive messages from friends and family back home
- have someone with a 6th sense tell you that your life will make a wonderful turn – and believe it
- sit on the newsdesk of a top-rated TV station
- sit on the table in front of the big screen next to the director during a live news TV broadcast
- tell a stranger that it is your birthday
- buy something because it’s beautiful and you like it (and you can afford it)
- get a 20% discount just because it is your birthday
- walk over a bridge during sunset in a light summer rain
- have a wonderful 3-course dinner (in a Palestine restaurant) and share meals with new friends from all over the world, have a nice glass of cabernet (and pay less than $25 for everything)
- trust other people in making your birthday special
- share your birthday with someone else and celebrate from one birthday into the next one
- get a big birthday cake together with Mohammed and have everyone sing happy birthday once more
- blow out candles
- make a really good wish
- do something you have never done before (within reason)
- dance
- be happy, humble, and grateful and enjoy all the small things in life
The bottom line is, I had a special birthday and most certainly one to remember. Thank you, everyone!
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