HE PARTY, the cake, the presents, and then the late-night calls and messages from friends, who stay up just to be the first to wish us a happy birthday. For many of us, a birthday is a day of celebration. However, it is only as the day passes and the party ends that we come to realize that we are getting one year older, reaching another milestone (里程碑) in our lives. 派对、蛋糕、礼物，还有深夜来自朋友的电话和信息，他们熬夜只为第一个祝我们生日快乐。对许多人来说，生日是一个庆祝的日子。然而，随着这一天的过去和派对的结束，我们才意识到自己又长了一岁，迈向生命中的另一个里程碑。
There are also those individuals who accept the affection but shy away from celebrations. What exactly does a birthday mean, beyond a gala night and a shower of blessings from our loved ones? 也有一些人接受了关爱，但却回避庆祝。生日到底意味着什么，除了一个盛大的夜晚和亲人的祝福？
One year, I spent my birthday alone in a completely new place, Calls and messages poured in as usual, but I found myself at a loss. I had nowhere to go, nor did I know anyone with whom I could go out and share the joy of the occasion. 有一年，我在一个全新的地方独自度过了我的生日，电话和短信像往常一样涌入，但我发现自己有些迷茫。我无处可去，也不认识可以一起出去分享这个场合的人。
At that moment, my mother called me, asking, "What are you planning for your birthday?" 那时，我妈妈打电话给我，问道：“你生日打算怎么过？”
"I'm not sure, Ma. There's no one here," I said in a low voice. “我不确定，妈妈。这里没有人，”我低声说道。
"You don't always need a crowd for your birthday," she reassured (使…… 安心) me., "Just follow your heart and make this day yours." “你过生日并不一定需要一大群人，”她安慰我说，“只要跟随内心，让这一天属于你自己。”
I did exactly that, indulging in "my own day," and unexpectedly, I plugged into my inner self. For the first time in years, I was not striving to meet anyone else's expectations on my special day. It was a peaceful yet fulfilling day. It dawned on me that I had matured, from the toddler (满理学步的儿童) who shared 我确实这样做了，沉溺于“我自己的一天”，出乎意料地，我接通了内心。多年来，我第一次没有努力满足任何人对我特别一天的期望。那是一个宁静而充实的一天。我意识到我已经成熟了，从那个学步的婴儿。
chocolates with the whole class on my birthday to someone who could now celebrate it with myself. 在我的生日那天，我给全班同学带了巧克力，现在可以和我一起庆祝的人。
When I lay in bed that night, my mother's words echoed in my mind: "You came into our lives this day," she said, her voice filled with joy and gratitude for the story of my life. And that, indeed, is the true essence of birthday celebrations - the precious gift of life itself. 当晚我躺在床上时，母亲的话在我脑海中回荡：“你就是在这一天来到我们生活中的，”她说，声音中充满了对我的生命故事的喜悦和感激。而这，确实就是生日庆祝的真正精髓 - 生命本身这份宝贵的礼物。
Now, as a mother myself, I have watched my son's years going by in a flash. With each passing year, I witness his growth and recognize that he does not turn 15 or 16 exactly on his birthday. He goes about his days, fools around, studies his lessons, solves his troubles, and gradually learns to be a year-old teenager. 现在，作为一个母亲，我看着我儿子的岁月如梭。随着每一年的过去，我见证着他的成长，并意识到他并不是在生日那天准确地变成 15 或 16 岁。他过着自己的日子，胡闹，学习功课，解决问题，逐渐学会成为一个 岁的青少年。
The milestones we eagerly anticipate from a birthday are not achieved overnight on that particular day, but through the accumulation (具积) of daily efforts and experiences. From babbling (含眛讪说出) our first words and mastering new skills as babies, to making achievements in art or sports, and working our way up in careers, each day gives us an opportunity to walk towards those milestones. Birthdays simply serve as flags that mark the progress of our powerful, unique journey through life. 我们在生日上急切期待的里程碑并非在那一天一夜之间实现，而是通过日常努力和经历的积累。从我们婴儿时期的含糊不清的第一句话和掌握新技能，到在艺术或体育方面取得成就，以及在事业上不断进步，每一天都给了我们一个走向那些里程碑的机会。生日只是作为标记我们在生命中强大、独特旅程进展的旗帜。
