I belong to several minorities. Of course, I didn't choose most of them. It just seems to be the luck of the draw, I guess. One of them involves my birthday. I am in the small group of people born on a holiday. Never had much of a birthday party as a child. Most of my friends were gone or had family plans. I don't remember it bothering me. It was just the way it was and I simply didn't know any better.

Some folk make a big tado over their birthdays. As we grow older, the only ones that really matter seem to be the "big" ones: 30, 40, 50, and 60. As a nation we seem to celebrate the birthdays of famous people, erect statues to honor them, have days off from work, shop for sales and bargains. Somewhere we have lost the meaning of the word.

I don't make New Year's resolutions in January. I have chosen, instead, to give birth to new ideas, hopes and dreams and make elaborate plans on my birthday. I review the year that has just passed and try to map out where I want to be next year at that time. In looking back over this past year, I can tell you that my life has made a dramatic about face in almost all areas. And I am happy to report, things are much improved and I seem to have gotten myself back on track.

June is PRIDE Month. It is our community's birthday. It is a chance for those of us that are out to come together and celebrate our existence. It is also a chance for those of us that CAN be out to come together for those of us that CANNOT.

Jesus tells us that we must be "born again". (John 3: 3-9). Not of flesh, but of spirit. Perhaps it is time for you to think about a rebirth of your life. Start over, start anew, start again. Redo, revamp, rethink, and revisit anything that needs adjustment.

Throw a party. Invite your friends. Celebrate life as we have been chosen and created to live it by the Master. Now that we know better, it must bother us to the point of action.

The best birthday present you could ever give yourself is the freedom to live and be who you were made to be. Every birthday is a holiday….it doesn't have to be the day you took your first breath. It just needs to be the first day you decide to start living.