The meaning of a birthday

Yesterday was my birthday, which is fun in all respects since I was able to lounge all day and basically do nothing but enjoy myself. Of course what exactly is a birthday besides an exact measurement of your age? Only on your birthday can you say “I am fifteen”, if you want to get technical then on any other day you would have to say “I am fifteen and one day old.” So that is all a birthday is, correct?

Friday night I watched movies until midnight and happened to be awake at 11:59 PM, meaning I was witnessing my last moment as a fourteen year old. As I watched the clock turn to 12:00 and I officially turned fifteen, I can’t help but say it was uneventful. I didn’t grow two inches, I didn’t suddenly gain a huge amount of knowledge, I didn’t feel anything.

What I find interesting about this is that although it really made no difference which minute it was, people treat you differently when you are fourteen than when you are fifteen. When you are fourteen you are “only two years past childhood.” When you are fifteen you’re at the age where “You can get your permit now! Only a year until you date!” You are a full fledged teenager. This is how I observed people treating me these past few months, it’s not like they purposely show it or anything, but something about having that higher digit on your age seems to make people act differently around you, and I don’t know why. It’s not like I suddenly had some dramatic change in that minute between 11:59 and 12:00.

A few months ago I was with my cousin whose birthday was in August. Here’s the dialog: “So you are fifteen right Anthony?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow you are getting so grown up!” (face beams) “What about you Starchild? You’re fifteen also?”
“Almost, my birthday is in a few months.”
“Oh that’s nice.” (Turns and walks away)

It’s not like they TRY to do this, but it was like that with everyone we talked to at the event. I find it unfair that they judge us according to our numerical age without spending five minutes to find evidence for their conclusion. I know tons of fourteen year olds (most of them my good friends) who act fifteen or older. I also know more than enough fifteen year olds who couldn’t pass for a hyperactive twelve year old.

I don’t think that your actual “age” has anything to do with how long you have physically been alive. Your age depends on how you act and what you do with your life measured against how much time you have had to do something worthwhile in it. Had you never once moved from your couch and skipped school whenever you could, then hey you are no better than a lazy five year old. I’m not trying to offend anyone but when I see someone who calls themselves eighteen, an “adult”, but they have never done a productive thing in their life, it makes me just a little irritated.

I just hope that I am living up to my new title as a fifteen year old. I don’t want to be “fifteen” years old, but only “eight meaningful moments” years old.