A bit of philosophy about birthdays / anniversaries and such:

(nothing you wise men don’t know, just sharing thoughts)

My childhood was basically a write off. Early in my adult hood, I actually used to hate birthdays. My overriding thought was – “well, I just burnt a whole another year. I am 1 year older now. It means I’d now be living 1 year less longer.” I used to try to hide best I can from everyone on that day. I just wanted that day to go away.

Separately, at my firm they give a glass brick memento when someone hits a 10year anniversary.

There used to be a guy named Amos. A very bright guy, a popular guy, a happy guy. Apparently he never kept track of the tenure. One fine day the brick landed on his desk. He looked at it, paused for a minute, threw it in the garbage, walked out the building and never came back. Did not say a single bye to anyone.

I knew EXACTLY how he felt. 

My turn came, the brick came. I hated it. My thought was: mother-fu’ers, why do they send these bricks!

Anyways, going back to birthdays: Much later, a young woman said to me: well the point of birthdays Is that you celebrate that you survived yet another year. You could have died before hitting the milestone. But instead, you got to do everything you did, you enjoyed a whole another year of life. So you celebrate!

That was a mind blowing revelation to me. Never thought of it that way.

If you extend the idea, that is exactly why 1st birthdays are made into such a big deal by young parents. The risk of death is highest when you are an infant. You could have died merely sleeping the wrong way!

Back at work, about two weeks ago, a brick lands on my desk in a package. It is named to one of my team members. From the look of it I should be giving this by hand to the person. I was like fuuuuuuuuuccck… This young lady has spent all her 10 years with me, since she graduated from school. She either reported to me directly or with a layer in between. I really, really didn’t want to piss her off. On the other hand, the best I know, there are no guidelines or etiquette in terms of how to hand this. I put it away and sit on the issue for a few days. 

A weekend later, I took the brick to a conference room and called her to come, but only her. Once she arrived, I said “You know different people have different opinions about this whole brick thing. But anyways, here is yours, congratulations!” and hand it to her. She is out of words. Smiled and made an eye gesture (like “okay” type nod)… I added “I also want to thank you for putting up with me all these years”… Bigger smile, another eye gesture… We gradually walk out of the room. I switch topics into some normal stuff (how is your mom – type stuff).

It seems to have gone okay…

Anyway the point is fellas 

1) If you ever run a company, don’t send any fucking bricks to anyone for anything. Instead send something warm. Like how about you mail the person a gift-card to a fancy restaurant. You know like those $600-a-pop kind of restaurant. Send two of those. Let the person celebrate who ever she wants with. It will be a very special memory that the person will remember for a very long time, if not a lifetime… Life is nothing but a sum total of all our experiences. Plant a special one in that pot.

2) Celebrate birthdays, celebrate anniversaries, look at them positively. Enjoy life, be happy. Give everyone you see on the streets a hug. Just don’t kiss them on the lips.

Cheers!! 🥂

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