Birthdays are a funny thing because they are moments that simultaneously
connect us with the past, the present, and the future.
Follow me here: on somebody's birthday, we celebrate the past tense fact
that they were born and the present tense fact that they are where they are
in their life. But we also look forward to a future tense hope by wishing
them a great upcoming year of life.
I'm thinking particularly about that today because Christmas Day is drawing
nearer by the day. And though we sometimes forget it, Christmas—at its
core—is the celebration of somebody's birthday.
