The birthday candle math: keeping count

Each year I dread adding to the growing birthday candle "farm" that’ll pop up on my cake. Perhaps "dread" is too strong a word. Let's face it - adding a birthday candle each year definitely beats the alternative. The first cake I can remember was on my fifth birthday. That was the year that my little brother stuck his hand into the middle of the towering confection, even before Mom had a chance to add one candle.

Not all candle celebrations stand out so vividly in my memory. But there have been a few highlights (no pun intended). My Sweet Sixteen celebration was shared with my Dad and one of my sisters, since we all have birthdays in the same month. Someone came up with the bright idea of putting the total birthday candle count on the top of the cake. Seven for my sister, sixteen for me … and I have no recollection of my Dad’s birthday candle total for that year. Let’s just say it was a birthday torch rather than a birthday cake.

And, that reminds me of my thirtieth. My date was the "then" love of my life. At a lovely restaurant, our waiter saw fit to bring us a Baked Alaska to top off a wonderful dinner. Shouldn't really fault the waiter; it was my boyfriend’s idea, I’m sure. He never could resist ribbing me about my fear of the birthday candle. So, as I was saying, the birthday candle bearer came through the crowded dining room with our dessert virtually covered in flames, set it down, and said, “Your friend told me you’d prefer to leave our birthday candle inventory intact.” The whole damned thing was on fire!

For quite a long time after that, I insisted that each year be marked with only ONE birthday candle to commemorate just that one year I’d notched into my belt.

I considered my fortieth a great milestone. Doesn’t everyone covet bringing the birthday candle score to an even four-times-ten? Honestly, I didn’t mind that year. The gifts and the attention of all my friends and family were adequate compensation.

The next biggie will be my 50th - the golden anniversary of my birth (gulp!). And I want to see one golden birthday candle on the top of that cake for every blessed year that I’ve graced this good earth! What’s one more birthday candle after all?