Birthdays... have you ever given much thought to them?

Especially of late, I tend to think a lot on birthdays..  It seems as tho they come faster than ever anymore.
   I never remember a lot of fuss about birthdays in my childhood. It was a different childhood to say the least.
  I never remember a *lot* of fuss in Bud's family either. Cake, cards and a wee bit of gifts.
  People were remembered! Don't get me wrong, but it was a simple day of immediate family love.
   I have always had trouble with birthdays. What they say is TRUE. What goes into the computer of your mind gets replayed a lot.
Oh that I had learned earlier to turn off that computer!! :-) 
   Anyway... I think I have just as much trouble with all the fuss and frivolity of the birthdays of late too.  Soooo many people, soooo many presents... sooo many gifts for the guests.... Used to be very little every year. Just maybe something extra on milestone years.. Do we even know what those are anymore?? haha
   I wonder... have we gone to far overboard in the other direction now? 
   Spending too much, teaching youngsters to *Expect* sooo much... and others to expect presents for 'nothing.'  It isn't their birthday, they did no fine good thing either, etc. etc.  Have we given into the *entitlement* philosophy. How sad is that, when the world out there will not give them all they might assume they are entitled to... going to be a bit rough, I'd say. Are we also teaching that you buy to give and get... hmmmm 
   I just wonder... could it quite possibly be that we have gone overboard in either direction?  What is the lesson??
   I'm glad someone was born and what a blessing they have been in our lives. But we were born for much much more that parties & stuff.. we were born to love and serve God & mankind... pointing them in the direction of Christ and heaven... I hope our perceived importance doesn't get us into trouble.... as we should aim to humble ourselves and praise almighty God with all we are and have...  of our gifts, talents, abilities, substance, finances, personalities, experiences.
        Just thinking out loud again... Wacky or not... I'm never sure, but I do *Wonder* a lot, and head to the Manual for Living for advise one more time...