This document printed from the University
of Illinois Extension Tent Poles at http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/macon/
Birthdays
April 21, 2004
Rexlyn Nicole
Community and Economic Development Program Coordinator
Macon County Unit 2535 Millikin Parkway
Decatur, IL 62526
Phone: 217-877-6042
FAX: 217-877-4564 rxnicole@uiuc.edu
This week, my husband and my daughter are celebrating what my girls calls their golden birthdays.These are days for which either your age matches the year your were born in, or your birth-date. For example, today is the 21st, so those who turn 21 on the 21st are celebrating a golden birthday. Or, if you were born in 52 and you are turning 52, then you are celebrating a golden birthday. I find that these are good things to celebrate as it lets you see where you are and from whence you have come. Perhaps you are in school and feel like there is still so much left to do. But what about how far you have already come... can you see that and celebrate it? How about if you are losing weight... do not keep looking ahead at how far you still have to go, but celebrate how much you have already done.
When there is a day that earmarks a change, whether it be the day the trash goes out, a day that you pay the power bill or a day that you age one more year, it becomes significant in the way you do that day. You take the time to achieve the goal for that day. Why not make every day a 'birth' day?! Find something to do each day and make that day significant for it. You can have a 'Leave a Flower on Your Neighbor's Porch Day,' 'Find Your Socks that Are Missing Day,' 'Drive to the Country and Enjoy the Ride Day,' 'Touch the Hand of Your Spouse, Your Child, Your Friend Day.'
Celebrate the day!
If you look at life as a tent, do you know the importance of tent poles? When putting up the tent, the tent poles are hard to deal with, they are cumbersome and yet without them, there is no tent. The tent poles are there for support. They are the backbone of the tent. They are the foundation of the cover against the storm while camping. Tent poles are in your every day life as well. They are there propping you up when times are tough. Do you know who and what your tent poles are?
