By ‘Ladeji Popoola
The dearest one, one thing amongst others a child never forgets is age. Despite the youngness of a child’s brain once he or she knows his or her birthday, the child would remind his or her parents even when they seem to remember. With the eagerness to celebrate his or her essence of birth and to fulfill the promise made to friends concerning the new age, the child would display every possible actions to convince his or her parents to celebrate his or her birthday once again.
For this child, what might have brought the date back to his or her memory might be the values that do not go beyond new clothes, party, cake, photo-shoot and what have you. All these added together would continue to be the reminder that brings to this child’s mind till he or she finds new reasons to celebrate his or her birth.
Life is phase and age defines phase or vice versa. What this child would have in mind when he or she remembers the special day soon changed as he or she grows. This signifies that this child has has different opinions on growing up. That is, the child has gathered new essence of growing, and he or she now has new meaning for aging.
What I am trying to evoke here is the stages one might have gone through and what one remembers as the hands of the clock point towards one’s special day. I mean the day of one’s birth. A person might think that it is a day for regaling. Some people might agree otherwise — it is a day to think of death or one’s closeness to grave. Should we even agree with them that it is a day to count one’s achievement in life or to give onself a rebirth?
Moreover, as you add a new age to your age once again, dwell with the new wisdom and experience which are lagniappes that come with it every year. Achievement may be revered beyond the hinterland. However, forget not as you continue to strive for the whole wealth of age (experience, knowledge, wisdom and achievement), it is the most revered.
