The Gift of a Birthday Surprise

My birthday happens to fall on July 26, the feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne, our Blessed Mother’s parents. We don’t know much about their lives, but we know that they became parents late in life—and later the grandparents of Jesus. Their story shows us a few things:

Faith can move mountains. God has a plan for each of us—a plan that might be beyond our wildest dreams. And his gifts come to us in their own time, and not ours.

St. Joachim and St. Anne must have lived lives of love, patience, and holiness. They welcomed their daughter, Mary, who was created by God to bear and raise the Savior of the World. I’m sure Anne and Joachim never imagined all that God would ask of them while they were waiting and waiting to become parents. But miracles happen, and God surprises us in extraordinary ways.

To celebrate my birthday this year, my husband and I decided to take our son (the one who was available that day) out for a fancy birthday lunch. As we placed our order, we laughed about whether our 14-year-old would be hungry enough to eat the roasted chicken on the menu that said it was large enough for two. He decided not to try—one could say he chickened out—but it was a fun idea.

Throughout the meal, we discussed whether we should tell our server that it was my birthday. Everyone had an opinion, but we finally decided not to say a word. My husband asked for the check, slipped his credit card inside the leather folder with the receipt, and I went to use the restroom.

When I came back to the table minutes later, our server slipped a plate of chocolate mousse in front of me.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“Happy birthday,” she said. Then she told us that our meal had already been taken care of.

We were so surprised. It took several minutes for us even to grasp that an anonymous friend had treated us to this decadent birthday meal.

“Who would even know that we’re here?” John asked. I admitted that I had mentioned our plans to a few friends who asked how I was planning to spend the day. We started wondering aloud which friend it could have been, as we enjoyed the mousse and whipped cream.

Our conversations quickly focused on one prime suspect, a very close friend, but I didn’t want to reach out to ask in case she wasn’t the giver. But later that afternoon she texted me to see whether her surprise had come our way. I was so happy to be able to thank her. I was also very touched—and not at all surprised—by her thoughtfulness.

I’m still smiling at the beautiful gift of the meal, which I never expected. Now I want to surprise someone else in the same way.

As we got ready to leave, I stopped by a table near ours where the ladies had been saying happy birthday.

“Is it someone’s birthday here?” I asked. “Mine is today.”

A few of them were also celebrating their birthdays, so they were delighted, as birthday buddies often are. One of them launched into song, and the rest of us joined in. We sang “Happy Birthday to You” together, not worrying about being heard or embarrassed.

Especially once you reach a certain age, birthday songs should be sung loud and with joy—even if your teenager is ducking his head as he creeps toward the door, hoping no one knows that that’s his mother singing with strangers in restaurants.

I could never have expected that my birthday would be full of so many beautiful moments—and there were so many. Every note, every greeting, every gift, and especially the gift of time helped make it a day to remember. And even though it was my birthday, I love reflecting on how those special exchanges happen for us even on an ordinary day.

Today I hope you will encounter someone—family member, friend, or stranger—who helps you realize you are loved and worth celebrating. I hope too that you will experience God’s love and plans for you. Aren’t we so very blessed to be alive and not know God’s entire plan, but know that he walks with us and loves us completely at every moment.

Copyright © 2024 Catholic Review Media

 Print