Birthdays are a funny thing because they are moments that simultaneously connect us with the past, the present, and the future.

Follow me here: on somebody's birthday, we celebrate the past tense fact that they were born and the present tense fact that they are where they are in their life. But we also look forward to a future tense hope by wishing them a great upcoming year of life.

I'm thinking particularly about that today because Christmas Day is drawing nearer by the day. And though we sometimes forget it, Christmas—at its core—is the celebration of somebody's birthday.