Awesome overload

Birthday Random Acts of Kindness ready for delivery

I’m not shy about my birthday. I think my birthday is awesome.

It means I’m still here. It means I survived another year, which is reason enough to celebrate since I feel like I barely survive day to day, let alone year to year.

Mostly, another birthday means it’s time to reaffirm my responsibility to be present and participate in my life. I’m blessed to be here, and my birthday is a reminder of that grace.

I didn’t always feel this way, but my life changed five years ago in a way that made me take pause and reconsider what it means to be alive.

The moment I realized I'd
maybe gone overboard.
So many ribbons to curl!
Thanks to Thumba-Lea for 
the RAoK card download.

My childhood friend passed away in January 2008, after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Em and I were the same age. And then five years ago, I celebrated my 33^rd birthday. And she didn’t.

I suddenly became older than she’d ever be.

The realization hit me hard. Sob in the parking lot of the grocery store hard.

The fates had me shopping that day across the street from a brand new cancer treatment center. As my tears dried, I studied the building, remembering countless hours spent with Em in the infusion therapy lab at N.C. Memorial Hospital.

A new tradition was born.

I went back into the grocery store for flowers and Em’s chemo mint of choice, Wint  O’Green. I delivered my small gifts to the infusion therapy lab, told them they were in memory of my friend, and ran like hell before I started the blubbering again.

That was my first birthday random act of kindness.

Happiness Bomb! 64 crayons 
with the sharpener built in back.
Check out my inspiration for the idea
at Life As I Know It

After I cried in my car for the second time that day, I felt happier. I felt like Em was with me, cajoling me to smile when I wanted to cry or rage or anything other than feel good. In the quiet after my storm, I realized how important birthdays are.

In truth, every day is important. Ideally, we’d live each day fully appreciating all the wonder in our lives. But in reality, it’s exhausting to live like that, and though I may try, most days I’m just pumped about getting to the end of a day without cursing in front of my kids.

Yep, you read that right. A good day = kids fed and mommy didn’t drop an f-bomb.

Which is why I make sure to take the time to celebrate my birthday and renew my commitment to awesomeness. Anyone can do awesome for one day!

We all want a slice of awesome in our lives. It’s why I love The Kid President who reminds me to “Be awesome.” And why Nerdfighters across the globe fight to increase awesome and decrease suck (DFTBA, fellow nerds). Awesome is addictive.

Cupcakes from The Flying Cupcake
100% proceeds go to
Ovar'coming Together

And I’m the first to admit my birthday random acts of kindness are all about making me feel awesome. Life should be celebrated with kindness and a side of awesome.

What began five years ago with a bunch of daisies and a bag of mints has grown into a days-long celebration of sharing my life on Earth with others. It’s my hope that at least one person’s life was made just a tiny bit more awesome on my birthday. It’s my hope that one of those people shared that awesomeness, and it grew and grew from there.

It’s good to hope. My friend Em taught me that.

Miss you, Em.

Here’s to 38. I’ll try to make it my best year yet.

A gift to all of you from my favorite Kid President