My Perspective

The "happy birthday" song that we sing on someone's birthday is quite prosaic, dull, and repetitive to say the least. Maybe it it so because it addresses the lowest common denominator i.e. children who are yet to learn a language fully. If so then it is not for the adults to also sing the same song. Here is a meaningful birthday song in Sanskrit with its meaning. Song in Sanskrit: अयि प्रिय सखे जन्मदिनमिदम् । प्रार्थयामहे भव शतायुषी ॥ १ ॥ पुण्य कर्मणा कीर्तिमार्जय । जीवनम् तव भवतु सार्थकम् ॥  २  ॥ Transliteration of the poem: ayi priya sakhē janmadinamidaṃ । prārthayāmahē bhava śatāyuṣī ॥ 1 ॥ puṇya karmaṇā kīrtimarjaya । jīvanaṃ tava bhavatu sārthakam ॥ 2 ॥ Translation in English: Oh dear friend, today is your birthday; We all pray for your long life. By noble deeds may you attain fame; May your life be meaningful. Credits : [x] Original Birthday Song in Sanskrit by Swami Tejomayanandaji Link -  https://www.chinmayajyoti.org/documents/birthdaysong.pdf  

Once upon a time, was a cat of mine; I called her Pilli, as she was silly; She ate a ball of yarn, found on a big old barn; Then she had kittens, all wearing mittens! ~ yours truly

Today is the last day of your past and the first day of your future. Today is the oldest you have ever been but the youngest you will ever be. Today is the day of resolution. Today is the beginning of a new tomorrow.

At the boundaries of sense and propriety there is a shore.. which the busy minds and the rigid hearts fail to perceive, where no words in any language can capture my emotions! Amidst that silence - that purity of expression - I shall wait for you.. Till then I will build our castles in the sands of time.