No, I don’t want a new car for my birthday. Or an iPhone. Or a cake. Or a fuss really. What I do want is an acknowledgment that I am important to you and there is a reason (or many reasons) why I am still in your life. And I don’t even need anything, to be completely honest. I just want you to show me that you care. I’ve never needed material things for that.

Birthdays are special. It’s a day of the year when your loved ones celebrate the continuity of your life and that is worth celebrating. Converting that into a race about how many people wished you a happy birthday on Facebook or how many presents you got is cheap and disrespectful.

I recently turned 18 and no, I don’t feel more of an adult. A day that increments your age doesn’t actually make you older. You become older and wiser with experiences, obstacles you overcome and the people you surround yourself with. Age has nothing to do with it.

So write me a card, or a message if that’s what you have time for, to show that you are thinking about me and I will be more than satisfied. In our fast-paced world, slowing down and doing something meaningful and heartfelt is rare. It’s easy to buy a gift for someone but writing down the reasons you miss them or love them? Way harder. Therefore, way more priceless.

But there are many other ways of showing appreciation and care. So to those people who get gifts because the recipient offhandedly mentioned that they liked a certain brand, or color, or thing, they are doing their part too. In the end, just remember that a birthday is a day to show your love for that special person, and all the effort you make for them, trust me, they appreciate it.