Sunday, April 25, 2021

Uh, When's Your Birthday?

I am horrible when it comes to remembering birthdays.  I know my own and that of my immediate family.  Anybody else -- extended family, close friends -- and it's as if they don't have birthdays at all.  Growing up without needing to send birthday gifts may be the reason I have not taken the courtesy to remember them.  And it always makes me feel bad ... for a while.

I particularly lament not remembering my best friend's birthday.  I think he's a Virgo.  Or a Libra.  Anyway, I know his birthday has come by late September (although I have to add that I don't know if his birthday is in late September), so I usually call around then and wish him a Happy Birthday, even though I am days and possibly weeks late.  And no, I don't make an effort to remember his birthday.  My guilt over forgetting, followed by my belated call/apologies, followed by my refusal to remedy this situation by remembering his birthday, is now an evergreen routine.

Yesterday afternoon my brother brought my niece over so My Father could see her and My Mother could play with her.  At some point Mother asked her if she wanted to eat her birthday cake.  Birthday cake?  And then I remembered that my niece's birthday is, uh, very soon.  And I feel particularly bad about hers because I really, really wanted to remember my niece's birthday.  I remember last year not knowing precisely her birthdate so I texted her mom (my sister-in-law) for 1) her birthday and 2) ideas on what to get her for a gift.  I'm pretty I sure I texted her the same two questions the year before that, and the year before that.  But last year I thought I had it down: I know my niece was born on this date, and I will be prepared by sending her a gift that would arrive by that date.  Nope, I forgot yet again!  And so a gift I need to send her will be late in coming -- again.  That tardiness will be compounded because I haven't yet asked my sister-in-law what my niece is into right now.  Dammit.

I can't vow to change anymore.  I'm 45.  I don't know if I have the will nor the ability to remember something as simple and important as my niece's birthday.

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