I have to admit that I had to stop and consider what it might mean to celebrate a life. Do I celebrate my life? And how do I do it? A birthday party? I have the feeling there is more to it.

My dictionary has several definitions for the word celebrate. The one that seems to fit best is “to observe a notable occasion with festivities or other deviation from routine.” But I think that definition is too shallow. I think a celebration is to honor something that is important, and to sustain it with acknowledgement and admiration.

In times past, a celebration was about connecting with the rest of life around you. People who lived in pre-industrial societies had an immediate experience that their very existence depended on the sun and rain and land. Seasonal celebrations marked the blessings brought by the sun and anticipated its return. Rites of passage celebrations, such as birth, coming of age, marriage, and death were about acknowledging the change of individuals and their relationship with family and community. All these celebrations were accompanied by feasting and dancing and singing as well as meaningful ceremony appropriate to the occasion.

Some time ago, I realized that today, most celebrations are more about the feasting and dancing and singing than they are about the meaning of the occasion, and I vowed to restore meaning to my own celebrations. I’ve done that for seasonal celebrations and rites of passage, but not to celebrating my own life.

In fact, I was actually puzzled about the very idea of celebrating my own life. What am I celebrating and how might I celebrate it?

After many days, I came to this: To celebrate my life is to honor myself as being important and to acknowledge and admire myself, my life, and my accomplishments. My birthday would be a great day to do this, but I didn’t have to wait for one day a year, I could celebrate myself whenever I wanted to!

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© Copyright Debra Lynn Dadd. This article was originally
published at our website, SoulfulLiving.com, in Summer 2008, as part of Soulful Living's "Celebrate Your Life" Issue.

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