Diane took me to breakfast at Egg Harbor in Lake Geneva and the generous restaurant treated me to this tasty pancake (which I shared with my sweetie).

I always love my birthdays – I had one yesterday – and the reason is largely because I’m married to a wonderful woman who believes in super-celebrating the birthday-ee.  She does it right, and because of this, my kids and I have been trained in it.  You would be lucky to be adopted into the Knowlton family…but don’t get your hopes up.

Anyway, something has made birthdays even better for me in the last 3 or 4 years:  In the midst of being celebrated by my family, I get Happy Birthday messages all day long from friends old and new on my Facebook wall.

I first noticed the phenomenon maybe 3 or 4 years ago when I was still relatively new to Facebook, and one year I started to take great delight when messages accumulating on my wall were texted to me all day long.  It was so nice that I determined then and there that I would always try to return the favor on the other 364 days of the year.  I log into Facebook most days, check the birthdays and send a quick greeting to someone that I sometimes haven’t talked to for years.  Doesn’t matter, I figure they will get the same mini-boost as I do, and in return, that gives me just a little joy.  Someone said it was more blessed to give than receive, and I think He had a good point.

There is the occasional birthday Scrooge who doesn’t appreciate the accumulated texts or crowded Facebook wall.  I only know of the existence of these grumpy curmudgeons because I recall a friend (don’t even remember who it was) who harrumphed about the messages as I spent time with him on his day.  Oh well, to each his own.

As for me, the big day is July 19^th, and if you’re not on Facebook, fear not, a card will do just as well.  Happy Birthday to all of us.