Though Celebration of Life Day, which lands on January 22, was originally instituted to celebrate the children in our lives, it has come to signify all that’s good about being alive. It’s easy to forget sometimes, but we are all fortunate to be here. Take time to celebrate that the good far outweighs the bad in this life. It all starts with gratitude and appreciation for where you are right now, and wherever you hope your dreams take you. Every life is precious, individual, and a huge gift, so take a little extra time today to celebrate it.
You’ve heard of Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, but what about children’s day? You might be thinking something along the lines of “isn’t that every day?”, but the reality is that parents are always so busy and will rarely get the chance to sit down and enjoy a family day with their little ones. That’s what Celebration Of Life Day is all about–setting time aside to spend with your young ones.
Every now and then, it’s a good idea to take some time off so you can refocus yourself. It’s about stepping back and looking at your life from a different perspective so that you can appreciate everything that you have–including your kids! When you get away from the hustle and bustle of your job and finally get to settle down and reflect on your past with your kids, you’ll start to realize just how blessed you are to have children.
It’ll remind you how special your kids are and how far you’d be willing to go to protect them and ensure they can live a comfortable and stress-free life. Sure, you’re eventually going to let them roam free and become their own person, but even when they move out, it doesn’t break the bond that you have with your kids.
Celebration Of Life Day is all about looking at your children’s life and reminding yourself of all the things you should be proud of. Whether it was the pain of going through labor or the frustration of moving to a new home, there are plenty of challenges that you go through to have children.
There are many more challenges to face in the future, but for now, you can sit back and admire all of the hard work you’ve put into your child’s life up to this point and celebrate your accomplishments, but also spend some time reminiscing and bonding with your child.
With the busy lifestyles that parents have today, it’s hard to spend quality time together with your kids. It makes Celebration Of Life Day a perfect time of the year to book a few days off so that you can focus on your kids and make them your primary focus instead of your job.
History Of Celebration Of Life Day
Celebration of Life Day has its philosophical roots in the practice of gratitude, a tradition that goes back millennia. As you grow older, you realize that the very act of living is a challenge. People struggle through their lives, having to overcome hurdles placed in their way. Sometimes it feels like existence is little more than a problem-solving exercise. Eventually, people are worn out by life and long for a better one where they don’t have to endure such hardships.
The philosophy of gratitude, however, tries to circumvent this. The idea is that we should all engage in a little thankfulness for what we do have instead of focusing on what is lacking in our lives. Even people in dire situations can find solace in simply being grateful for all the positives in their lives.
The history of gratitude has religious origins. Practically all major faiths emphasize its importance in keeping the mind healthy. Grateful people are often the most content with their lives, and the most willing to celebrate them. Research shows that they are less stressed, less depressed, and have more satisfying social relationships.
Children are one of the things that people have to be most thankful for in their lives. They are a source of great joy and excitement. Being grateful for the new life you’ve brought in the world is a good practice, even if you sometimes feel like pulling out your hair.
How to celebrate Celebration Of Life Day
Celebration Of Life Day is primarily about spending time with your children and connecting with them no matter how far or grown-up they are now. However, it’s also an opportunity for you to relax and reminisce about the simple joys that you don’t get to experience anymore as an adult. Whether it was the excitement of getting a new toy from your parents or the freedom of not having to worry about mortgages and taxes, it’s a chance to reflect on those small things in life that we rarely experience now.
Creating a list of all things you’re grateful for is one of the best ways to enjoy Celebration of Life Day. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant – just little things you take for granted in your ordinary life. Stuff like “having a roof over my head” and “being in good health” are all valuable items you might want to include. Try to meditate on all the reasons why living your life is a good thing. Snuff out the voices in your mind that try to bring you down. In the end, life should be a joy and having fun. The negatives ought not to get in the way.
Another thing you can do is revisit some of the things you enjoyed when you were a child. Adults spend vast tracts of their lives doing “grown-up” things, like work, chores, finances, and networking. Sometimes, we forget why it is that we’re doing all those things in the first place. Ultimately, it isn’t for their own sake. It is so that we can free ourselves up for fun.
Think about the activities you loved doing as a child and indulge with them on the day. Things like riding a bike, jumping rope, or playing video games can help you reminisce about different times. Having fun is something you do for its own sake. It lets you fully absorb yourself in the here and now, without continually worrying about the future.
Finally, you can try indulging in your ideal day – whatever that means for you. It could be hiking up a mountain or sitting in front of the TV with a delicious pizza.
History of Celebration of Life Day
Though Ronald Regan originally established the holiday to send an anti-abortion message, the Celebration of Life Day has come to be a day to celebrate both the lives of children and ourselves. Celebration of Life Day was originally called National Sanctity of Human Life Day and was proclaimed in January 1984 by Ronald Regan. At the time, President Regan chose to harken back to the landmark abortion case Roe v Wade by placing National Sanctity of Human Life Day on the 11-year anniversary of the decision on the case.
Anti-abortion groups championed the holiday and felt that it expressed their sentiments on the importance of human life at all stages. This belief has been echoed in Donald Trump’s statement on the day from 2019. Organizations who champion the right to choose, like Planned Parenthood, denounced the day as a way of limiting women’s rights to autonomy over their bodies.
The history of National Sanctity of Human Life/Celebration of Life Day has been rocky. Though both Bush presidencies continued the holiday, it was discontinued for eight years under President Bill Clinton. Donald Trump has continued the holiday throughout his presidency, as well, and some churches have even marked it as a holy day on their calendars. The holiday routinely falls on a Sunday for this religious reason, although only in 2018 Donald Trump proclaimed it be celebrated on a Monday.
Today, many view the Celebration of Life Day as a day to spend extra time with their nieces, nephews, children, grandchildren, or even just kids they babysit. Every human life is precious, and today is the day to remind ourselves we are all lucky to be here and lead the lives we do. Despite our individual and group challenges, there is always good to be found and gratitude to be shown – and what better day to find the positive than Celebration of Life Day?