A Birthday Between Seasons: Remembering, Loving, and Choosing Presence
A story of forgotten dates, faithful love, a father who never missed a moment, and the quiet power of showing up.
The 29th of December has always lived in the in-between.
Nestled gently between the warmth of Christmas and the anticipation of a New Year, it is a date that often slips through the cracks of celebration. Those who remember it usually arrive with explanations already prepared—the Christmas gift was meant to cover it, or the New Year will do. I learnt early that birthdays like mine are easy to overlook, not out of malice, but convenience.
As a little girl, I did not understand this logic. I celebrated others with unwavering devotion. I never missed a birthday. I gave gifts with intention and wrote poems and stories with all my heart, determined to make others feel seen and cherished. Yet when my own day arrived, the world often felt distracted.
Perhaps, in divine wisdom, my birthday was destined to share space with my wedding day—ensuring that at least one person, my husband, would always be compelled by love and promise to remember it. And he does. Even today, he woke me with a simple but thoughtful gesture: a cup of green tea, handed over with quiet tenderness. Love does not always shout. Sometimes it whispers.
One man, however, never forgot.
My father remembered my birthday without fail. In my final year at university, he arrived—unannounced—at my psychology class just to wish me a happy birthday, much to my embarrassment and his delight. Years later, while I chaired a board meeting in government, he joined forces with my husband, and together they showed up again: two men united by love and determined that I would not feel invisible on my special day.
Today, my father has long gone, resting in eternal peace. And it is on this day, more than any other, that I miss him deeply. His presence, his consistency, and his refusal to forget – these are the gifts that time cannot take away.
I am happy that today of all days is my birthday.
Not because of presents or celebrations, but because it reminds me of what truly matters: presence over convenience, remembrance over excuses, and love expressed in action. Birthdays are not merely dates; they are invitations to show up, to affirm worth, and to tell someone, you matter.
Call to Action:
Let this story move you to act. Reach out to someone who may be overlooked. Remember a date that is easy to forget. Show up for someone in their quiet season. Do not allow convenience to dull compassion. Our smallest acts of remembrance may become someone’s most treasured memory.
Happy birthday to me, and may the lessons of this day (29 December) reach further than I can imagine.
#BirthdayReflections
#FamilyValues
#PresenceMatters
#NeverForgetLove
#ItIsPossible
Thank you for posting this. Three of us in our nuclear family have similar « holiday » birthdays that are sometimes not given the attention they deserve.