Tonight, we're celebrating our dear friend Kelsey's birthday, even though it's not until December 21. (Shout out to my other dear friend with the same birthday, Sam Nelson!) We're celebrating this weekend because it's about to be the last week of finals [I say that because we've had two already, barf] and, therefore most of us will not be around for her actual birthday. So today is Kelsey's Birthday (Observed). We think that's very funny. In the facebook event info, Kelsey jokes about being compared to MLK and Presidents whose birthdays we observe on days other than their actual days of birth. It's a bit silly but it's also really just any excuse for a party around here.
But as I'm writing this, I'm wondering why we say (observed) and not (celebrated) when we do this. Are we just supposed to look at that little square on our calendar and say, "Oh, well, would you look at that -- Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is meant to be observed today"? Or should we wear our peace signs and sing "We Shall Overcome" and remember what Dr. King did for the Civil Rights Movement in this country? Shouldn't we celebrate that which has been achieved by his life and death?
And the same for Kelsey's birthday! We're not simply going to observe that it today will be the day we recognize Kelsey as one year older, but the day we celebrate her 26 years of life and all that she has brought to our lives.
I don't know what any of this has to do with anything, but it was just something I, umm, observed?
But as I'm writing this, I'm wondering why we say (observed) and not (celebrated) when we do this. Are we just supposed to look at that little square on our calendar and say, "Oh, well, would you look at that -- Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is meant to be observed today"? Or should we wear our peace signs and sing "We Shall Overcome" and remember what Dr. King did for the Civil Rights Movement in this country? Shouldn't we celebrate that which has been achieved by his life and death?
And the same for Kelsey's birthday! We're not simply going to observe that it today will be the day we recognize Kelsey as one year older, but the day we celebrate her 26 years of life and all that she has brought to our lives.
I don't know what any of this has to do with anything, but it was just something I, umm, observed?