Taking Notice

Saturday was my birthday.

Now, I've never been big on birthday celebrations, but one thing I've noticed over the years is that the people I love will always force me to acknowledge the day in some way, whether I want to or not.

And thank God they do.

To them it seems ridiculous that I don't make an enormous fuss about the day I came into the world. But if I think about it, I understand, because I do the exact same thing for them. We buy presents, we spend too much money for fancy dinners, we drink, sing, wear silly hats and just honestly enjoy being alive, together.

How often do you stop and tell yourself that you are of value? How many times do you celebrate the sheer fact that God has put you on this earth? What would we do if we didn't have others around us to point out all of the good attributes we overlook on a daily basis? 

This year I am realizing how important my friends and family are for my own confidence. I need them in my life to remind me that I am important. It seems that they are always one step behind me making sure that I have strength and courage to take the next step - even if neither of us notice it in the moment. So today, I'm taking notice and encouraging you to do the same!

I'm going to leave you with my favorite story (so far!) from One Minute Stories by István Örkény, which is a collection of the author's short stories. The book was lovingly given to me by a few of my very dear friends on my birthday.

life should be so simple

1. remove fire extinguisher from bracket

2. open valve

3. approach source of fire

4. extinguish fire

5. close valve

6. replace extinguisher on bracket