“Birthdays was the worst days
Now we sip champagne when we thirst-ay
Uh, damn right I like the life I live
‘Cause I went from negative to positive
And it’s all…

(It’s all good)

…and if you don’t know, now you know, nigga, uh”- Biggie Smalls

Today you may get a notification stating that it’s Sonny’s birthday and you should share your thoughts. From there you get the HBD bro, Happy bornday, Happy Birthday, Happy solar return and many others response but the mere fact they took the time out is what’s most important. You hoping somebody put up a picture and you get tagged in it and then let the good times roll. I say that because there’s someone right now like ‘oh shit its yo birthday, that’s wzup but let me see what kermit, Ms. Piggy, Shirley Caesar and those Joe Biden memes hittin fo. Niggas have a birthday every day B’. Now you getting birthday wishes on your timeline, text messages on your phone, getting tagged in pictures and there is someone doing her best Ms. Piggy rendition:

Ms. Piggy….It’s his birthday just send him well wishes

Savage Ms. Piggy…fuck that send him a heart-eye emoji followed by a DM.

Birthdays weren’t always the best days when I was growing up. I come from humble beginnings and I’m proud of it because it made me the man that I am today. For the record just because I have both parents don’t mean I’m a rich kid. That has to be the biggest misconception of all time. Shit, I just got hit with an insufficient funds fee on my way to work today on my birthday. I’m getting more calls from bill collectors then family members today. You know moms was working at the bank she had the steady job, while my dad on the other hand; he was the mortician, limo driver, driving school instructor, cleaning office buildings. Like this man worked at Sinai, Johns Hopkins and Northwest hospital at the same damn time. When my pops was making bread, he was making bread to feed the projects nigga-Calvin from paid in full voice; but when he wasn’t we were satisfied with the end pieces.

Since my birthday is so close to Christmas, my mom would always say, ‘son I aint got nothing for ya man but Christmas is 5 weeks away so I’mma double up’ As a kid you wanted to be disappointed but this is ma dukes like what you really say. I’mma eat this second helping of mac and cheese maybe watch some wrestling and countdown to Christmas.

See I come from a family that didn’t really celebrate milestones. My grandfather was a World War II veteran and was the first black supervisor of Bell Atlantic which is now AT & T and he always preached that you supposed to be great, I’m not celebrating that. As a kid I thought that was fucked up but my grandfather couldn’t do nothing wrong is my eyes but as a grown up I can see where he is coming from. He was saying that you have to work twice as hard to get half the respect as your counterpart so if they graduate high school you get a Master’s degree. Always remember you are no better than anyone else but also know there is no one better than you. So I always treated my birthday as just another day because it wasn’t about the gifts, I can buy the gifts any day after all bills is paid, wife and kids are straight then I will buy me something but by that time it’s gone so Tough break nigga there’s always FUBU.

I’m glad now that I have a wife and kids because on this day they add laughter and enjoyment to this day that would normally consist of Sportscenter, Sportscenter, work, eat, Sportscenter maybe a workout then bed. I wake up this morning and my bones are cracking so I know I’m getting older. I get serenaded by my lady then she goes for the low note sounding like Toni Saxon so all I can do is laugh and be thankful. I’m thankful because of the social climate that we are living in today, everyday should be your birthday because at any given moment some cop or anybody will look at me like I’m a silverback gorilla and try to put silver in my back and celebrate how they killed a gorilla. I’m thankful because I’m learning in life that change is ok because change is the only thing that remains the same. The interactions with my kids this morning proves it:

Morgan: Happy birthday Daddy

Me: thanks yo

Morgan: how old are you now?

Me: I’m 33

Morgan: Dang you old. Do you need a cane or something? Were you around when Jesus was living?

Morgan and Me: laugh real hard

Now it’s time for Reid…

Quianna: Go say happy birthday to daddy

Reid: happy birthday dad…now we go to chuck e cheese

Me: naw son no chuck e cheese

Reid: I’m so mad *insert Arthur fist* it’s my birthday daddy not yours

Me: ok calm down buddy

Reid: I’m not your buddy *then he turns around and smiles at me like Michael Jackson do at the end of Thriller, I can’t make this shit up if I tried*

Last but not least Hannah…

Hannah: daddy…daddy…daddy

Me: Yes Hannah

Hannah: Can we watch a movie?

Me: Sure Hannah

Hannah: I Looooooooooooove you. *proceeds to take my phone and watch Netflix*

I’m glad that I am able to see this day and who knows this could be the change I was waiting for. Thanks to all my family and friends.

*Birthdays I had a penny

Now I’m at the bar right now drinking Henn-ay

Uhhh*- Sonny Smalls

And I’m out…