Birthday Cards

My father, who passed away some years ago, would have celebrated his birthday yesterday. While hardly a somber man, he wasn't one to have a party, go out to dinner, or perform other birthday rituals. I don't even remember him getting a birthday card, except from my Florida brother, who usually wrote some sort of witty statement that made Dad smile.

By contrast, my wife and her mother were quite conscientious about sending birthday cards. In general, they were more extroverted about marking the passage of a year than my family was. Their customs helped make the day feel special, in little ways and larger ones. Even where I currently work -- a family-owned and operated enterprise -- birthdays are acknowledged with a card.

I admit I look forward to receiving birthday cards. Sometimes they're funny, and I always appreciate a laugh. Now and then, the message is particularly thoughtful. The most heartfelt message invariably comes from my wife: I love you/Happy Birthday.

It's a sentiment I cherish, and one that my father and mother-in-law would have appreciated, in their own ways.