A Reddit poster shared a personal message on the social media platform that has inspired more than 57,000 reactions and over 1,000 comments.
Writing just a day ago on the “made me smile” Reddit community thread, this person wrote, “Today is my 26th birthday, no one called me or wished me happy birthday … “
Then he added, “But I came home to a little birthday surprise by my girlfriend. I am happy to have her in my life.”
After his message, he posted a picture of a sweet arrangement of lights and other household items in the form of the number “26.”
Scores of people chimed in to share positive thoughts and messages with this young person.
Here are some of the responses.
“All you need is one person who loves and appreciates you and your life will be amazing! Happy birthday, stranger.”
“She’s a keeper,” wrote someone else. “Happy Birthday.”
Another person wrote, “One person who really loves you is worth 1,000 fair-weather friends.”
Someone else wrote, “Gifts from the girlfriend will be what you remember when you look back on this — not who didn’t call.”
And still another person wrote this: “Happy birthday! I’m 26, too, and usually don’t get any surprises. This year my friends surprised me by getting me out of my house and decorating it! Have a wonderful year ahead and enjoy!”
A different Reddit user wrote, “You know what? This one person who loves you and who cares for you is worth much more than everyone else. Hope you have a nice rest of the day. Happy birthday!”
And here’s yet another comment: “You listen to me, man. You work to be worthy of a good woman, and when you find her, you treat her like a queen.”
The same person added, “Don’t just expect her to take you as you are. And vice versa. Personal growth helps make relationships work. If you’re not growing together, you’ll end up growing apart. Best of luck to you. Seems like she has a kind heart.”
To which the original poster replied, “You are right! Thanks.”
He also mentioned on the thread that he’ll be proposing to his girlfriend in the year ahead.
Some Reddit users, however, didn’t have the happiest of news to share in their reactions to the original poster.
One person wrote, “I turn 26 tomorrow. I will work all night tonight, come home to no candles, gifts, food, friends and I will sleep [and] just to go back to work that evening.”
“Yes, people who like you or care about you or even love you need an opportunity to express it — and you need to hear and feel it.”
Another person wrote, “Happy birthday! That’s not bad at all. I had no one, too, in my last birthday. And I don’t have a girlfriend as well,” this person added.
Then, in the thread, there appeared this upbeat post for the birthday celebrant: “Allow me to say, from one stranger to another, I am happy you were born, and I hope you have an amazing birthday.”
Scores of other commenters shared “happy birthday” messages with the ordinal poster as well.
“Bless birthdays,” wrote Judith Fein in Psychology Today a few years ago.
“It is important to feel cared about, appreciated and even celebrated,” noted Fein, a travel journalist and speaker.
“Yes, people who like you or care about you or even love you need an opportunity to express it — and you need to hear and feel it.”
“A birthday isn’t just the day you slid through the birth canal,” she added. “It is also the day you came into the world, began your lifelong engagement with the world, and, every year on that day, you get feedback from those you have engaged with.”