Birthday

Today is my birthday. 

In general, I'm not a big birthday guy. I'm more up for celebrating other people's birthdays than my own, but even then...I don't really make a big deal out of them.

But over the last couple of years, I've noticed something on my birthday. I'm especially nice to other people on my birthday. On a day when it should be all about me, I try to make it about other people.

Last year, I was driving to Sacramento for work and saw a car pulled over on the causeway between Davis and Sacramento. I pulled over to the shoulder and picked up a man who was with his wife and two young daughters. They had driven from Sacramento to Oakland (it was election day and Oakland was where he was registered) and were on their way home. After loading them into my car, I drove to the next exit and headed back west along the causeway 4 miles, exited and then along to causeway again to get BACK to their car so we could get the groceries they'd left there.

While loading my car full of food, a highway patrol officer stopped and said he would take care of them. When he asked why I was with them, I explained how I'd pulled over to help. 

The officer looked at me like he'd never heard of such a thing. Then he thanked me a couple of times, as did the family. 

I got in my car, drove off, and went about the rest of my birthday.

And that interaction, more than the 20 people who came over to celebrate me that night, made my day, because your birthday is a day that celebrates you being alive, and I want that life to count for something.