Wow, had I known years ago that these two celebrations coincided, I would have celebrated my father’s birthday in a much different way than the traditional cake and ice cream. And I, certainly at some point, would have given him the gift of a hammock. The cool thing about birthdays is they happen every year and give people an opportunity for ”do overs”. I don’t think at this stage in life my father can climb into a hammock, but I can. I’m going to celebrate National Hammock Day in the obvious way, reclining in a hammock and relaxing. If you don’t have a hammock, there are always porch swings or rocking chairs. The idea is to stop the hustle and bustle and sit or lay back for a while enjoying the slower pace of summer.
Because my dad lives in Florida and I’m here in Connecticut, I can’t actually celebrate his birthday in body. So, I’ll celebrate in spirit. I’m going to bake a blueberry pie (his favorite) and serve it up with coffee ice cream. Before slicing into the pie I’m going to sing ‘Happy Birthday to Dad’. And then with every bite, I’m going to think of my dad and how lucky I am that he has been in my life.
I realize that the likelihood of your father’s birthday being the same day as my father’s birthday is 1/365 days, but I’ll bet you can think of someone who you’d like to celebrate. Here are some ideas:
- Send a card to that person “just because”.
- Make a special dish to share with that person, or if they are too far away partake of that food in their honor.
- Call that person, just to say, “Hello, I was thinking of you.”
Remember, you can celebrate a birthday like this any day of the year. Don’t forget to make a wish.
