Every year on my birthday, my mom always forces me to pile up and collect clothes that I don’t wear anymore so she can donate them. I’ve always gotten annoyed at this because on my birthday, I want to celebrate and have fun, not spend hours in my closet. But it’s that time of year again, and I finally understand why mom has implemented this tradition into my life. 

As we go about our lives, it’s hard to remember to give back. When our birthdays come around, we have spent another full year getting older. My mom uses this mindset to give back to the community. Some people are not as blessed and don’t get to experience the joy of celebrating their birthdays. So instead, celebrating my birthday with the less fortunate has been something I’ve been very blessed to experience.

Though when I was younger, I didn’t understand as much, I still listened to what my mom told me to do. Now, I’ve completely fallen in love with the idea, and it is one of the biggest things I look forward to on my birthday. I’m excited to experience this tradition in the future when I have kids as well. But for now, I’m ready to donate all my unused things and continue doing so when I’m off to college 🙂