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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTomorrow I will be 86 years old
It never occurred to me that instead of a celebration I would tell my family....."No birthday cake, no presents, no anything. I am too depressed about what has happened to our country". I have photos going back to 1939 of my Happy Birthdays. This will be the only time there will be no photo!

Frerotte
(89 posts)Wishing you peace amidst the chaos of our current lives.
Heidi
(58,835 posts)born in the middle of the Great Depression and my most vivid childhood memories are of WW2 home front. Was jealous of the freedom of the hippie generation, and here I am..realizing I was born in and lived through the Golden Age of the USA.
surfered
(9,428 posts)Heidi
(58,835 posts)homegirl!
tavernier
(13,972 posts)Celebrate your wonderful self because you are on the good side of humanity. Let your light shine for the rest of us to follow!!!
Happy Birthday (from a soon seventy niner)
IbogaProject
(5,043 posts)Cha
(314,619 posts)for ourselves and our Families.
Thank Goodness We Have DU to Learn what's going on, communicate with kindred Spirits, and Rant and Rave!
💙
SheltieLover
(73,945 posts)Pls don't let kraznov deprive you & your family & friends of celebrating!
Chipper Chat
(10,603 posts)Don't celebrate birthdays, Christmas, july 4th.
I know better than to spend time longing for past decades. I remain positive and do what I can for mankind and the planet. I listen to a lot of music. Right now rachmaninoff's piano concerto #2. Very stimulating.
Heidi
(58,835 posts)and reason to celebrate* all of yall whove made a path for the rest of us. Our family will celebrate your light in the world, too.
*Pinsa with roasted red onions, red bell pepper, green and yellow zucchini, ham, and mozzarella + vegan chocolate pudding to offset the ham and mozzarella.
usonian
(20,874 posts)No foolin, I just took another shot this morning at the "Rock 2", at 76, a bit simplified (by me). And when I get half decent at it, I have a "music minus one" recording with just the orchestra. It is a great concerto.
STAY YOUNG!
Everyone here!
malaise
(289,509 posts)😀
Heidi
(58,835 posts)These beloved DUers are not always elders. We here at Casa *insert hyphenated American-Italian surname* celebrate you, too, malaise. Youre a DU treasure.

Heidi
(58,835 posts)Thank you for being here, young_at_heart. Please allow me to share the song my dad asked us to play at his funeral 14 years ago.
https://m.
Deuxcents
(24,180 posts)To all our DU *youngsters* with birthdays today, tomorrow, last week or next week or whenever, I am sending my best wishes with thanks and admiration to the many Trail Blazers who have been fighting the good fight and making way for me to join in. Im 78 and am so proud to be in your company 💙
Permanut
(7,574 posts)Ihear you loud and clear. This madness will pass; I hope you and I are around to see it.
Heidi
(58,835 posts)Thank you for being here, Permanut.
Permanut
(7,574 posts)
bronxiteforever
(10,790 posts)May you have peace and love on your day.
Ping Tung
(3,724 posts)
Heidi
(58,835 posts)Ping Tung. Time flies but ones light in the world is infinite.
Hekate
(99,594 posts)
Tell:3 about it😀
surfered
(9,428 posts)
EnergizedLib
(2,826 posts)But youre still worthy of being celebrated, even if what has become of this country is not.
Tree Lady
(12,761 posts)Your life is worth more than his and you should celebrate that. Hopefully you have family and friends who agree with you and young people to carry the torch forward.
SocialDemocrat61
(5,757 posts)
angrychair
(11,174 posts)Happy birthday and so very glad you are here.
twodogsbarking
(15,979 posts)"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"
calimary
(87,928 posts)"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.
Who said that?
twodogsbarking
(15,979 posts)piddyprints
(15,020 posts)Ill be 69 next week. We plan to celebrate. I hope youll celebrate your life tomorrow. Please let them take a photo, for them.
Yes, its horrible that we have to spend our golden years in such a mess. Still, as the saying goes, where theres life, theres hope.
Happy Birthday!
people
(807 posts)What is happening to our country is dreadful but you are So good. So glad you have your family to love you and for you to love. Hope you find a little happiness tomorrow. Keep the TV and the internet off!
OLDMDDEM
(2,760 posts)Heidi
(58,835 posts)We celebrate you! Thank you for being here, OLDMDDEM.
Grim Chieftain
(641 posts)Celebrate with family and friends, look back fondly at the many accomplishments of your life! Do not let the orange felon rob you of your joy. As the old adage goes - "The best revenge is living well".
elleng
(140,886 posts)Happy 80-ish to us all, and thanks for our 'kiddies.'
Heidi
(58,835 posts)Despite the :poop: going on all around us, Im inspired by you and so many others in this community.
ancianita
(42,002 posts)allow others to love you.
AKwannabe
(6,830 posts)For your 86 day.
CrispyQ
(40,265 posts)![]()
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Have a happy birthday whatever you do!
BarbD
(1,337 posts)Grew up in Wisconsin while Senator Joe McCarthy was spewing hatred and ruining lives with fear of communism. "Better dead than Red" was echoed in the playground. Then came Vietnam, and we all know how that went. Now we are once again challenged with hate and fear. But, I will not allow evil to rule my life.
Today I celebrate with people I know who are demonstrating against this regime. My two senators and congressman are on speed dial. I sing "We shall overcome", knowing that we need to work together. I firmly believe in the Beatles' song -- "All you need is love, love is all you need."
Congratulations on your birthday. We are all needed in this fight for the future of our grandchildren and great grandchildren.
LibinMo
(564 posts)And I intend to keep having them at least until this hellscape were living in now is over. I wont ever give up.
My husband is gone, family divided politically and geographically. Two of my children phoned and the one who still lives nearby spent the day with me. One has ghosted me for years. I got flowers & candy. So I did celebrate because I still have so much to be grateful for. Stay strong & keep the faith! Happy Birthday❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
calimary
(87,928 posts)Thank you to all of our DU elders whove helped to lead the way toward safety, relief, and TRIUMPH over this mess were all in.
You remain an inspiration and a source of strength to me.
The one quote I find myself keeping in mind:
THIS TOO SHALL PASS. (That means YOU, TOO, donald.)
Passages
(3,634 posts)All best wishes and dreams to come true.
nolabear
(43,818 posts)🥂🍾🎂🎷🎺🎻🎸🎉🎊🎶
Mossfern
(4,379 posts)Today I turned 77.
It's a great time of the year, and I plan to spend the day enjoying the fabulous weather, organizing (cause that's what Virgos do), and working in my garden. Tonight we'll go for sushi and have some of the fabulous flourless chocolate cake the restaurant has for dessert.
Take that celebratory photo - don't let the Dementors win.
Listen to some some Motown music and reminisce about the good times you did have.
This too shall pass.
When life gets you down .....EAT CAKE!
Hekate
(99,594 posts)Last edited Thu Sep 18, 2025, 03:15 PM - Edit history (1)
You might look at it another way & consider that you are denying your family of this occasion to gather...
Ill be 78 in a few weeks and am not doing so great myself but I remember how much it hurt when Id call my mother in her 70s (long distance) to say something chipper like, Happy birthday! I bet youre getting all kinds of calls! and she would snarl at me.
On a quite-related note, whenever I read a small death notice in the paper that instructs the friends of the deceased that no gathering of any kind will be held because their late friend didnt believe in such meaningless fripperies, I recall another thing my mom said, which is: Funerals are for the living. And she was quite right about that: humans have a need to gather.
So, personally, my resolution this year is to be kind to my husband, and thank him for the handmade card on our breakfast table. Also to be pleasant to anyone in my scattered, small, and diminished family who remembers to call, give a big hug to my SIL who remembers with cake, and well, thats about it.
May there be good memories that come into your thoughts, and may you have a happy (or at least adequate! ) birthday after all. 🎂🎂🎂
LetMyPeopleVote
(170,297 posts)murielm99
(32,364 posts)I turned 77 on August 31st.
LoisB
(11,707 posts)Figarosmom
(8,759 posts)Don't allow this regime to rob you of good times you deserve.
You can be merry and care about the world at the same time.
Happy 86th, take your happy moments while you can.
justhanginon
(3,370 posts)the break of a celebration of something good, (as in me still walking this earth).
This unfortunate period of a two bit N.Y. huckster, multi-convicted felon, accused rapist, fraudster, would be dictator and otherwise just plain bad person running our country makes me sick to my stomach and I truly hope I do not die while this bastard is still in office. If he outlives me, my kids have been given instructions to do the more than appropriate urination rite on wherever he is buried.
It truly infuriates but even more so saddens me the depths to which our country has sunk as those who are supposed to have the best interests of all citizens revel in their greed, corruption and quest of ever more power as we sink even deeper into the pit of fascism with each passing day. Both houses of congress, which is now just a disgusting plurality of mostly Trump lackeys who exhibit trembling cowardice at the mere mention of incurring Trump's displeasure. They are not unable but unwilling to stop this horrifying display of his unabated power. Even the media, both print and television, are on tiptoes and caving at the slightest thought that they may say something displeasing to Trump and thus be threatened with license suspension etc. by some lowlife unqualified cabinet appointee.
Yes, I need the break of a birthday celebration with my kids and friends to alleviate somewhat the dour state of affairs in our country right now. I hope we can all find something to celebrate.
orleans
(36,427 posts)take the day -- TAKE THE WHOLE WEEKEND -- off from the stress, the sadness, the anger and the madness and the fucking news. fuck all that shit!
you're 86!! and that's wonderful.
do something nice for yourself. cake, coffee cake, candies? eat some food you enjoy -- maybe something you haven't had in awhile.
BECAUSE IT'S YOUR 86TH BIRTHDAY! JUST DO IT!!!
wear a hat. carry a feather and pretend it's magical. see family (tell them you changed your mind), talk to them, talk to friends, attend your birthday in pajamas or wear something you like wearing. watch a favorite movie (no politics)
you've outlived you know who already so go ahead and be glad about that. take a photo or selfie -- flip him off and then let all the bullshit go.
your birthday is on a friday which means you can treat yourself (and let family treat you) for 3 days! THREE DAYS!!!
go out in nature and fall in love with your surroundings.
please don't let those assholes ruin this time for you; a time that deserves to be special and happy for you. don't give the bad guys that power to control you. (they don't deserve that power)
take a breath.
be happy for all those happy birthdays you've had. go ahead and miss them and miss those times. you're lucky you have those lovely memories. it's not over. you still have time to create some new and warm memories (both for you and for those who will be a part of your special weekend)
go out of your way and make that effort. i'm afraid if you don't you'll end up feeling bad that you didn't.
(and i'd love to see a selfie of you flipping the bird to you know who!)
dwayneb
(1,043 posts)I'm an old geezer too but you've got a decade and a half on me lol.
Yes it is a sad and depressing time - but did anyone honestly think that the American Dream would last forever?
I'm a realist and even as a kid I understood how fragile our democracy was, and how many ways there were to take us down from within. McCarthy gave it a good run in the 50's I wasn't around for that, but I remember the John Birchers and Nixon with their brands of Fascism. And then of course the real destruction began with the Moral Majority and Rush Limbaugh in the 1980's who laid the foundation for the MAGA monster that we see today.
The difference was that those Administrations back in the 60's and 70's did not have the autocratic tools at their disposal that Trump does today. His weapons of propaganda are 100X as powerful as the primitive radio and television of that era; and in those days we still had the Fairness Doctrine to moderate broadcast media (established in 1949, destroyed by Reagan in 1987).
marble falls
(68,734 posts)GreenWave
(11,694 posts)"Don't let the bastards grind you down!"
So get in there, take that picture, eat that cake.
Show the orange bastard he can't get to you on your day. He feeds off our misery. Don't let him.
snowybirdie
(6,361 posts)Put the outside noise away and think about the years you celebrate. Don't let the bad guys win. You do you! Happy birthday and congratulations.
walkingman
(9,875 posts)Vinca
(52,740 posts)Happy Birthday!
Clouds Passing
(5,904 posts)I honor your presence on earth young_at_heart 💖
canetoad
(19,527 posts)Spend your birthday with folks you love and trust and bugger the rest of the world. Happy birthday!
PS I turn 71 today, joing DU in my 40s (just).
young_at_heart
(3,973 posts)This morning I was feeling so hopeless. I had just read about Jimmy Kimmel (who I love---also Stephen Colbert) and something inside me just snapped. I let "IT" get to me I'm afraid. All of these wonderful, encouraging comments have made me see the situation differently. Part of my melancholy was thinking that this horrible mess might be my last birthday and how on earth could I celebrate under the circumstances? Well, I have calmed down now and read and reread the inspiring comments here and feel so much better now. I was one of the very first DU members....I had a different name then and was horrified at the time about GW being the candidate. Little did I know what was coming......I pray it will be over soon. I'd love for 9/19/2026 to be the opposite of what it is now.....as Captain Kirk would say, "Make it so"!
Thanks again to all the wonderful DU'ers! I read your comments every day and am so grateful to have you in my "old" life!
Grim Chieftain
(641 posts)These are troubling times, but we need to look for the light wherever we can.
Again, have a wonderful birthday tomorrow.
applegrove
(128,383 posts)when WWII had just ended and there was still talk of how horrible fascism was.
IzzaNuDay
(1,146 posts)Relatively speaking
Focus on the things that give you joy and happiness. Even when on the outside is hell in a hand basket!
Skittles
(167,731 posts)and I say that as someone who has never in her life had a birthday party
Cha
(314,619 posts)You are not alone in This!
Heidi
(58,835 posts)Celebrating you and all DUers whowith your tenacity, courage, intelligence and empathyhave made a path forward. Thank you!
Heidi
(58,835 posts)
Solly Mack
(95,777 posts)malaise
(289,509 posts)
SheltieLover
(73,945 posts)🎂🍰
livetohike
(23,701 posts)let them take that away.
MiHale
(12,178 posts)The current administration is akin to an emotion sucking vampire, they achieve their power by sucking us emotionally dry
dont feed them.
As you awake and open your eyes
youll be on the right side of the grass, even if the sky is cloudy there is blue sky above. To make it as far as you have, Ill bet you have many scars
whats one more? Smile throughout the day
pass that smile on to another
its a form of resistance.
Quiet Em
(2,296 posts)I know you are feeling down, and you are not alone in that feeling, but you help make the world a better place and your are worth celebrating.
Squeaky41
(394 posts)I will be 84 tomorrow.
Going out with family for fish and chips planned.