A Thousand Birthdays
They say that to love someone long-term is to attend a thousand funerals of the people they used to be. I’m sure you must have heard this. Rings true, doesn’t it?
What they don’t tell you is that it’s also to attend a thousand birthdays of the person they become. The person they become for you. Putting all the hard work and determination to evolve into a new personality, out of love, out of the desire to keep you, out of the desire to become a better person.
See, the thing is, funerals are inevitable. They have nothing to do with love. Love no one; you will still attend a thousand funerals throughout your life. Some of them will be your own.
But assuming the funerals of the past selves of your loved ones to necessarily be a sad thing is to assume that they’ll evolve only for the worse. What if they evolve into someone extraordinary? Someone you always dreamt they’d become? Right?
So cheer up! Change is good. Evolving is great. Doing so for love is amazing. Watching your loved ones transform is one of the most satisfying things in the world.
Keep loving. Keep evolving. And make sure you attend more birthdays than funerals.