CELEBRATE

Went over to Winchell’s Doughnuts first thing this morning to buy treats for the land sharks with whom I work. I told the sales clerk that it was my birthday. “And you have to buy your own doughnuts?” she asked. Yes, I said, I see it as an extension of Mother bringing treats to school for the child’s birthday. In general it’s easier not to depend on others to provide the festivities when you want to celebrate.

Since I was ten—and presumably safe to leave in the kitchen by myself—I’ve had to provide my own cake for the majority of my birthdays. There are memorable exceptions. Mother threw a surprize party for me on my sixteenth. I had been threatening to invite the church choir over after practice, so she arranged for some school friends to come over so I never made it to choir practice.

The word of the day for January 11, 2007 is “celebrate” — transitive verb 1 : to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites [celebrate the mass]. 2 a : to honor (as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business. b : to mark (as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine. 3 : to hold up or play up for public notice [her poetry celebrates the glory of nature]intransitive verb 1 : to observe a holiday, perform a religious ceremony, or take part in a festival. 2 : to observe a notable occasion with festivities.

Our quote for today is from Lois McMaster Bujold, Mirror Dance, 1994 :

It's important that someone celebrate our existence... People are the only mirror we have to see ourselves in. The domain of all meaning. All virtue, all evil, are contained only in people. There is none in the universe at large. Solitary confinement is a punishment in every human culture.

;^)