On Milestones and Birthdays

Today is my birthday.I'm not doing anything huge - mostly spending the day with my partner and doing some work. In the past, I've usually been on tour. In fact, Facebook Memories reminds me that I was in Taiwan with The Slants just four years ago (we even made a tour documentary on it, available free via Amazon Prime). But today, I'm just enjoying the rest. Instead of asking for gifts, I'm requesting folks to support local restaurants and independent artists. I might be biased, but this one is my favorite.Some call a birthday a milestone. I've never really thought of it as anything special. To me, it's just another day on earth. A chance to do some good in the world. I do, however, love the idea of milestones. They used to be actual stone markers to commemorate a significant event or serve to provide direction. The Old Testament is filled with them - heaps of rocks to remind the Israelites of promises fulfilled by God or moments of failure that they hoped not to repeat. A collection of milestones will tell a story. Each of those stones were hauled to a specific location and then carved with intention. It took hard work and thoughtfulness. And when they were done with that work, it took deliberate reflection.Perhaps that's why I don't really think of a birthday (or any other day) as significant unless one makes a choice to remember. I don't remember my birth, I didn't really do anything for it - if anything, our birthdays should be used to celebrate our parents. However, I do hope to create milestones around my life. Be it my memoir or the impact made on others around me, I want my days to be filled with intention, thoughtfulness, and dedication. But on this birthday, I just want a little rest and for others to support the efforts of those making milestones in their own lives.