See listing of Recent and Most Popular articles on the Home Page

Rhymes & Reasons

Category: General / Topics: Birthdays & Annivesaries Grace

Why Birthdays are a Gift

by Greg Asimakoupoulos

Posted: April 17, 2011

A poet reflects on the 59th anniversary of his birth…

Birthdays are a chance to pause
and count our blessings (and our flaws).
To thank the Lord He gave us life
and loves us as we are.

The day we contemplate our birth
and tabulate our inner worth,
we eat a piece of birthday cake
(and also humble pie).

We know we don't deserve God's grace
for things we'd just as soon erase
that punctuate the years we've lived
preoccupied with self.

But in that candled cake we find
a sweet reminder that love's blind.
Those gifts from friends and family
convey the way God feels.

One day a year we find the means
to reaffirm those life-long dreams
He planted in our pre-born hearts
before we took a breath.

Ah, yes. Our birthday is a milestone
to mark the ways in which we've grown
by making peace with what is past
and thanking God for grace.



Search all articles by Greg Asimakoupoulos

Greg Asimakoupoulos (pronounced AWESOME-uh-COPE-uh-less) is an ordained minister, published author and chaplain to a retirement community in the Pacfic Northwest. Greg maintains a blog called Rhymes and Reasons, which he graciously provides to SeniorLifestyle.

Greg's writings have now been assembled in book form. See the SeniorLifestyle Store.

E-mail the author (moc.loa@veRemosewA*) Author's website (personal or primary**)

* For web-based email, you may need to copy and paste the address yourself.

** opens in a new tab or window. Close it to return here.


Posted: April 17, 2011   Accessed 105 times

Go to the list of most recent Rhymes & Reasons Articles
Search Rhymes & Reasons (You can expand the search to the entire site)
Go to the list of Most Recent and Most Popular Articles across the site (Home Page)