Time seems to move so quickly these days that you hardly realize the years have passed before half your life has gone by. It can be hard to lift your head and smell the roses, but it is so important that you do, because life is something to be enjoyed, not hurried through. Birthdays are the perfect time to take a breather and look back on the last year, and maybe the rest of your life, even if it is just for a moment. They can also help us look toward the future. Despite all this importance, birthdays go largely unnoticed and uncelebrated, usually by the ones that are having birthdays in the first place. Well, if you have a birthday coming up, why not do things a little differently this year, and give your friends a reason to let loose for an evening, and join you in celebrating your past and present. Now, you may be reading this and thinking that the last thing you want to do is to actually call attention to the fact that you are one year older; but the fact of the matter is that you will always age, every year. You might as well accept it, and use it as an excuse to see your friends and family. Besides, you usually get some great birthday cards and presents out of it! Even if it is just a few hours devoted to going to your favorite restaurant and drinking a toast to your health, or a full blown birthday extravaganza, your friends will be inspired at the way you treat an event that is quickly becoming taboo. Who knows, you may even start a trend.