Birthdays—More Than a Celebration of Time

I have a confession to make. I love Hallmark movies. They’re fluffy and light and pretty much any problem can be solved in less than two hours. And occasionally, within (or despite) all that fluff, you can find a nugget of depth or insight included in their inevitable “happily-ever-after.”

Such is the case with the movie, “Never Too Late to Celebrate.” It tells the story of a soon-to-be 30-year-old woman who’s trying to reconnect with her late father’s Mexican roots. Her first step on this journey is to take Spanish lessons. Then, at her 30th birthday celebration, she reflects in a very profound way on her newfound ability to speak Spanish.

She explains that in English, people talk about how old they ARE. “I AM 30,” or, “I AM 60,” and so on. But in Spanish, people say “Yo TENGO treinta anos,” or “Yo TENGO sesenta anos,” etc., which literally translates to mean, “I HAVE 30 years,” or “I HAVE 60 years.”

As she shares in the movie (pardon my paraphrasing), looking at age as the entirety of experiences we acquire over time is more meaningful than simply celebrating how many years we’ve been alive. It represents all the adventures we’ve had along the way—our successes and failures, trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows, loves and losses—all of which make us who we are.

For instance, as of today I HAVE 63 years, 5 months, and 4 days. The lines that accentuate each of my eyes? Evidence of all the smiles and laughs that have punctuated my most cherished relationships. The wrinkles that have overtaken my Sharpei-like fingers? A testament to all the dishes I’ve washed and meals I’ve prepared for the people I love most in this world. The ability to appreciate the myriad shades of gray—not only on the top of my head, but also throughout life in general? Proof of the wisdom I’ve gained and the lessons I’ve learned during my 63+ years.

Coming from a culture known for revering its elders—a community in which multi-generational homes and close relationships are often the norm—this unique way of defining one’s age is not surprising. Beautiful, substantive, and meaningful, it is also a distinction the rest of society might do well to emulate.