By: Craig Alford
Surprise! Congratulations! Those are two amazing words that pack so much meaning into them. I’ve never been too big on celebrating my birthday, and I’m definitely not good with surprises. I do, however, love to celebrate others and surprise them.
“Surprise” for a birthday party or maybe a hearty “congrats” on an anniversary are great things to hear. I actually love to celebrate my wedding anniversary (because of my wife), and no, I never forget. Whether it’s her or the kids’ birthdays or milestones in their life, I love to celebrate them. Family, friends, co-workers, etc., I believe they all deserve to be celebrated.
June is a big month for me. Surprise, it’s when my birthday is! What I really think about during my birthday and anniversary is reflection and gratitude. I get to think about the last year and past years and reflect on where I’ve come from. I get to reflect on the challenges and see the growth. I get to see that those challenges were really opportunities for growth. I get to bask in gratitude for the fact that I’m alive, and life is a blessing. I get to show gratitude for the people around me and how we’ve made each other better, and I’m grateful for that.
I also realize what a blessing it is to actually remember and reflect on past experiences and celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, as June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Worldwide, more than 55 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia that can rob them of those precious memories. So I’m reminded that so many people in this world have families that are affected by this disease, and it isn’t lost on me in this month of my birthday − I will be grateful for the memories.
Craig Alford is a community outreach/Medicare adviser with FirstCarolinaCare. He is a home-grown guy with a servant’s heart serving his local community. He’s a husband and father of three, loves his family and is an avid golfer.
Like this article? Let us know by responding to FCCOutreach@FirstCarolinaCare.com. You can also visit hally.com/ecolumns to see more. Thanks for reading!