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Cherie Burbach

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Home | Faith | Be a Blessing | Celebrate Your Birthday by Giving Back

Celebrate Your Birthday by Giving Back

December 18, 2018 2 Comments

Why not help someone else on your birthday?

More and more, people are doing things to give back on their birthday, and I love that. Birthdays for me have been very up and down, but one thing that helps in any difficult situation is to give back to someone else. It helps you gain perspective and turn the focus to what you have rather than what you don’t have. When you offer your time and energy to someone else, you lift them up and also realize that you have a lot to give this world, and what’s more, our world needs your contribution.

Maybe the solution can be found in the way we celebrate. Instead of a birthday being about you, why not make it about everyone else? I read a story years ago about a guy who celebrated his 65th year by doing 65 random acts of kindness. Specifically, he stood on a corner for 65 minutes and handed out $5 bills to people.

I loved that idea, but this type of give back celebration doesn’t have to be about money. It can be time. Doing good deeds. Helping out a friend.

I came up with some ideas on how I could celebrate a big birthday, say “52”:

  • Volunteering at my local food pantry and donating a food item for every one of my years.
  • Writing 52 thank you notes to people who have helped and inspired me.
  • Do 52 errands for friends who need babysitting, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc.
  • Buy coffee for 52 people in the coffee shop.
  • Write down 5.2 things I like about ten of my friends and send it to them with a handwritten note.
  • Make a mental note to say 52 positive things in a week to people I encounter.

There’s only issue I can see with this plan, and that is that for every year you get older, you have to give back even more to top what you did before. But then, maybe that’s the point!

I’ve got my list of possible ways to celebrate my birthday. Care to join me?

Tags: birthdays, giving back Categories: Be a Blessing, Volunteering

About the Author

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Cherie Burbach is a full time artist and writer. Her art prints, originals, and functional art pieces are available in artsy stores and galleries through the country and here at her site. Join her for Painting the Psalms. She is the author of over fifteen books, which vary from nonfiction to poetry to kid's books. Just for fun she created a family card game called Cupcake Commotion. Her first novel is The Space Between Dreaming.

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Comments

  1. SusanSenesie says

    April 24, 2020 at 2:53 am

    Hi Cherie,
    My name is Susan …I live in Freetown, Sierra Leone.I am celebrating my birthday on the 26th April. 2020… I love my birthday and always celebrate in style…I wanted to celebrate in London with my kids…..but I couldn’t…because this year is different…because of Covid 19.
    All though I do charities…but I want to do something different…so I googled about “giving back for your birthday”..and I came across your beautiful page…..what you did for your 52nd Birthday…so amazing….
    Thank you so much for inspiring me.
    I am forever grateful.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoCherie says

      April 24, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Happy happy happy birthday!

      For my 52nd, I started a card ministry, and wrote 52 notes. I kept it going for the next year. I became more aware of how offering positive words to others can lift them up. I’ve got some of what I did here.

      I hope your birthday, whatever you decided to do, was amazing. Blessings to you!

      Reply

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Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers’ Favorite

The Space Between Dreaming is a moving novel written with warmth and heart and which contains valuable wisdom. I loved that...
Cherie Burbach
2020-02-16T15:00:57-06:00
The Space Between Dreaming is a moving novel written with warmth and heart and which contains valuable wisdom. I loved that the work tackles difficult topics about childlessness, childhood trauma, and betrayal by friends with sensitivity. It tenderly captures the social and emotional toll of being childless. I loved the main characters and found them to be realistic and engaging. The work masterfully explores the themes of friendships and relationships, drawing important lessons that can be applied in real life. The inclusion of art and the process of painting also enhance the story. Cherie Burbach's unforgettable novel will resonate with readers for its applicable themes and compelling characters. Fans of women's novels will love it.
https://www.cherieburbach.com/testimonials/lisa-l/
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Cherie Burbach's writing is surprisingly vivid, this being her debut attempt. She can take you inside the character's mind within...
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Cherie Burbach's writing is surprisingly vivid, this being her debut attempt. She can take you inside the character's mind within a span of words, all the things they're struggling with put bare before you. The prose isn't flowery, but gentle enough to nudge you into relating your traumas too, and heal as the characters do.
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Loved learning more about art, and the community surrounding the people in the book. Couldn't wait for the next chapter and following the women in this story. I am hoping the author has a second book in mind, to continue the journey of Jane and Grace. I would recommend this to book clubs, so they could meet and discuss what they read and what they think will happen next.
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A beautifully written story about the lives of two very interesting women who come together and form a life long bond. I love how this book is written. I found myself placed in the story like I was an innocent bystander watching each moment unfold and learning more about art than I ever thought possible. As the book ended, I found myself wanting more. My hope is that there is a 2nd book in the works so I can continue watching the friendships unfold and the lives of the main characters continue to grow!
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Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers’ Favorite

The Space Between Dreaming is a moving novel written with warmth and heart and which contains valuable wisdom. I loved that...
Cherie Burbach
2020-02-16T15:00:57-06:00
The Space Between Dreaming is a moving novel written with warmth and heart and which contains valuable wisdom. I loved that the work tackles difficult topics about childlessness, childhood trauma, and betrayal by friends with sensitivity. It tenderly captures the social and emotional toll of being childless. I loved the main characters and found them to be realistic and engaging. The work masterfully explores the themes of friendships and relationships, drawing important lessons that can be applied in real life. The inclusion of art and the process of painting also enhance the story. Cherie Burbach's unforgettable novel will resonate with readers for its applicable themes and compelling characters. Fans of women's novels will love it.
https://www.cherieburbach.com/testimonials/lisa-l/

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