Birthdays are weird. It’s something I look forward to in the months before it gets here, but then when it arrives I start to wonder why I even cared.

I’m the traditional “don’t you dare make me the center of attention, but you better not forget” type of birthday person. I enjoy the acknowledgement of my day, but I don’t want a big fuss.

At my old retail job we used to get our birthdays off of work. It was a nice thought to be free of responsibility, but I’d typically just read a book and go to dinner with family. Not really an out of the ordinary day.

Back in my younger days, school wasn’t in session on my birthday, but I’d still try to get together a birthday party around people’s busy summer schedules of vacations, bible schools and camps.

Then once I got to high school age, we started having to go to school much earlier. My 16th birthday was also my first day of 11th grade. And you better believe I checked out of school early that first day to go get my driver’s license.

In college, school started nearly a month after my birthday, and I was still in my hometown when it was time to celebrate. However, I did just so happen to move into Blount Hall for my freshman year at Huntingdon College on my 18th birthday because I had to be there early for band camp. Then before my senior year kicked off I turned 21… on a Sunday.

I’m not trying to complain too much. I have great family and friends who took me to dinner and sent me cards over the years.

For my 23rd birthday my dear friend Rachel, who I had known since we were 11 and has been a neighbor, coworker and an overall staple in my life, decided out of nowhere to let me invite friends and family over to her place for cake and games. It was the sweetest thing she could have done for me. And yet I proceeded to invite college, high school, work and family friends to the shindig, which threw me into a spiral of anxiety when I realized not many of my guests knew each other and it was up to me to keep each person entertained. I’ll still never forget her generosity though, and the fact that so many people showed up for me.

My best birthday may have been last year. I got up early and went to yoga that Saturday morning. After that, my mom and I drove to Nashville and met up with my dad, who had been at work in Tennessee. I know, I’m a nerd who spent her birthday with her parents.

I really love Nashville and we go there often. We visit my favorite restaurant, coffee shop and record store every time. Sometimes we’ll catch a show too. On this occasion we stayed the night and I got in an early morning swim in our hotel pool. We even did a little shopping, which typically is not one of my favorite activities.

Now that I look back on it, maybe I did have some remarkable birthdays.

This year I’m having another bare bones style birthday. Due to all of us having different work schedules I don’t think we’ll be able to get together. I plan to buy myself a cake and go on an adventure around town to see what Vicksburg has to offer. Who knows what I’ll get myself into, but I’m usually up for a new experience.