Yeah, we so breathe that!

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.
~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

I awoke this morning to calculate that given the foggy view from my window, my propensity to sleep with the covers over my head, the 9 minute snooze alarm that was trying to tell me something, and the chill in the room I was obviously a newly comissioned vampire. The fog was the first light of day, which I avoided by hiding under the covers and moving out of the sun's evil "line of fire" every 9 minutes or so... and I was very cold.
I eventually regained full consciousness and use of my body, awaking to the begining of the next year of my life. As of this morning, I have fully lived (or is it lived fully?-- hopefully both) 23 years.
Birthday's afford us a chance to "take stock" of the choices we've made, the lives we're living, what we love about those lives, what we'd like to change, our support systems and our day-to-day schedules-- they are our own personal New Years. For myself, I like to look back over what I've done, and make a few goals for the next 365 days (unlike New Years, there is far less pressure to keep Birthday resolutions).
In the past 23 years I have:
Learned to walk, talk, read, cook, take care of myself, take care of a sibling, take care of a friend, be cared for, multipy, add, subtract, divide, write, use a computer, use the interweb, use a telephone, program my VCR (kinda--now, onto the Tivo!), knit, crochet, laugh at myself, put myself first, travel, recognize and accept change, order in restaurants, recognize when I'm bullshite-ing, braid my hair and see humor in chaos.
Graduated from high school and college, worked over half-way towards a Masters degree and traveled Europe.
Figured out what I want to be when I grow up (for now....).
Joined a gym (to increase the number of future birthdays).
Laughed with friends, cried with friends, fought, gotton properly drunk, had plenty of late night conversations and been hungover.
I have not:
Always taken the high road or been the bigger person.
Always made good choices (in fact, some were rather bad).
Been properly kissed by someone I love (who loves me).
Fulfilled every expectation, dream or goal I set for myself.
But, I'm only human.... and (to parapharse Mark Darcy):
I like me, just the way that I am.

The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.
~Lucille Ball