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“Loneliest Time Of My Life”: 87 People Reveal Why They No Longer Look Forward To Their Birthdays
Birthdays are one of the few traditions nearly every culture shares. Whether it’s cutting a cake, making a wish, or gathering with loved ones, these simple rituals mean a lot to many of us.
But you can’t control every moment, and a bad day can strike anytime. To show just how wrong things can go, we picked out some of the most painful stories people shared on Threads.
One user revealed that their mom passed away on their special day, while another from Ukraine recalled the horror of 50 missiles landing across her country on her birthday. Others opened up about painful childhood memories, like no friends showing up or family completely forgetting the day altogether.
Grab a tissue before you dive in, because these honest confessions are a real tear-jerker.
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#3
I lost my baby boy at 17 weeks pregnant 3 days before my birthday. Ever since my loss, those days leading up to my birthday always make me sad, my birthday doesn’t feel good anymore.
It might surprise some people, but birthday celebrations haven’t been around forever.
Some historians believe the tradition of birthdays dates back to Ancient Egypt around 3,000 B.C.E. Back then, massive celebrations were held for the Pharaoh — not on their birthday, but on their coronation day, which marked their symbolic birth as a god.
However, other experts believe that the earliest evidence of birthday celebrations comes from economic texts from Lagash, an important city in ancient Sumer. It is a region in southern Mesopotamia considered the site of the earliest known civilization.
#4
Ukrainian here, Happy to help. It’s my birthday today and Russia just [attacked] my city with something like 50 missiles or so.
#5
I had a major heart attack on my 49th birthday...99 % blockage...my jaw felt like I was being punched .. my tags expired right then and a police officer pulled my daughter over as she was following the ambulance. $150 ticket was eventually dropped.
#6
My 30th was definitely the worst. Came home to our puppy having been shot in our backyard. Cops [didn't care]. Happy bday to me.
For centuries, though, regular people didn’t get parties. It wasn’t until the Ancient Romans came along that citizens began celebrating their personal birthdays with friends, family, and simple flat cakes baked with flour, nuts, and honey.
The iconic combination of cake and lit candles came much later through a mix of Greek rituals and German folklore. Ancient Greeks baked round, honey-sweetened cakes to honor Artemis, the goddess of the moon. They placed lit candles on top to make the cakes glow in the dark, believing the rising smoke carried their prayers up to the gods.
Centuries later in 18th-century Germany, the modern children’s party was born through a tradition called Kinderfeste. Parents gave their child a cake with candles burning all day to ward off evil spirits. Before the day ended, the child made a secret wish and blew them all out in one breath.
#7
My 25th birthday was probably one of the worst. I booked a table at one of my favourite restaurants and invited all my friends. Only one of them showed. I was so depressed. Had my one friend not showed I probably would have cried myself to sleep that night.
Been 15 years and I haven't forgotten.
#8
I once told my husband that i don't want to celebrate my birthday because I don't want to stand in the kitchen for hours to prep everything for 20 people (usually its us, plus parents and siblings with their kids). Because I always do it for every birthday (mine, husbands, kids).
So he didn't even buy a small cake. No gift. No drawings from our kids. Nothing.
After putting the kids to bed in the evening, I cried and he asked why.
#9
My 29th birthday:
Going through a divorce & terrible custody battle. No friends.
Coworkers took me “out for drinks”
A coworker’s friend bought us all shots. Some unknown time later I woke up on the bathroom floor bleeding from my head hitting the sink & vomit all over me.
I’d been [spiked]. Coworkers were gone, no one answering their phones. This was before Uber/Lyft. I had to have the bartender call me a cab. I was sick for 2 days. Loneliest time of my life.
Today, different cultures celebrate aging in wildly unique ways.
In China, people eat long, unbroken longevity noodles to symbolize a long life. In Mexico, the birthday host often gets their face shoved into the cake during the mordida ritual.
Friends in Jamaica prank the host by covering them in flour, while people in Atlantic Canada grease the birthday person’s nose with butter to ward off bad luck.
This long history and diverse cultures show that, at their core, birthdays are generally considered important milestones.
#11
2009, my 27th birthday. I was 5 days away from the due date of our second child, so I was heavily pregnant & had a toddler. My then-husband completely ignored my birthday. I thought he might put a post-it note on the kettle, or a text, or something, anything. But no. When he found me crying about it, he said, “We’re so skint, you said you didn’t want anything.” I didn’t realise he was going to take it quite so literally.
#12
Found out my baby had [passed away] on the 18th, medication started 19th to commence labour, birthday 20th, delivered my boy on the 21st. That was a rough year.
Even though birthdays come around every single year, the act of celebrating them plays a surprisingly deep role.
Studies show that birthdays act as temporal landmarks. They are meaningful checkpoints that force us to pause, reflect, and evaluate our place in the world.
“Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays are how we notch the passage of time. They help us remember where we’ve been and figure out where we want to go. They’re made up, but they’re not meaningless,” says Ben Guttmann, a professor at Baruch College.
#13
My 40th was awful.
My partner told me he met someone else less than a week before.
The day before my boss called me to tell me that the company was done and I'd not be getting paid for the last 3 weeks of work.
The day of, my car broke down.
The (ex) partner insisted we spend the day together, even though I said no. I cried the entire day. He gave me his old brok TV. He forgot to buy me a gift and spent all his money on the new girl. Spent all day texting her. I broke up with him (again).
#14
For my 13th birthday my mom planned a surprise party for me. I accidentally found out about it, so I was excitedly and “slyly” reminding all of my friends. No one showed up. My mom had the middle-aged neighbors come over to “surprise” me.
#15
My 50th birthday present was cancer. I'm no evidence of disease after 8 years, but that was the suckiest present ever!
A 2018 study found that people often view birthdays as opportunities to receive attention from loved ones, spend time with family and friends, and feel more loved and socially connected.
Nine in ten Americans say that it is important to celebrate the birthdays of their family, friends and those close to them, according to an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Enbridge.
About 65% of people said it’s because, as they grow older, those close to them are even more important to them and worth celebrating.
#16
My 40th birthday was pretty much [terrible]. My ex-husband was killed in an accident a month prior to my birthday. It took months before life felt normal again.
#17
When I turned 45, I ate a sad little frozen dinner all alone, trying not to cry because my divorce papers were going through and would be finished processing or whatever. 6 mos prior, my ex confessed to cheating and demanded a divorce. A month after that, he moved his affair partner into our home ( I couldn’t afford an apartment, so I was living in a spare bedroom) and a month after THAT, he moved his affair partner’s free loading adult son into our home as well. The house was crowded and chaotic and my mental health was in [an absolute mess]. HOWEVER, a year later I met my boyfriend who is the sweetest, kindest, most supportive, loving partner I could possibly ask for.
#18
My 30th. Nothing happened. I was the family "big birthday organiser". Mums surprise 50th, Dads surprise track days, Husbands surprise 30th... even smaller birthdays, no one could think of good gift ideas, no problem give me the cash we'll get a bigger joint gift(s) I'll sort it out.
My 30th rolls round, and nothing... not a thing. A lot of my priorities shifted that day.
Receiving a birthday wish gives your brain an instant mood lift. Psychologists say that when someone takes a second to message you on your big day, it does two big things: it boosts your mood and reminds you that you belong.
Those tiny, thoughtful notes act like social glue, making you feel valued and keeping your relationships strong.
#19
18th birthday - I had school and then went to work got home and my parents left me a card on the table with a bill attached for my living expenses now that I was an adult.
#20
I’ve had a few bad birthdays. But when I turned 26, I was a month postpartum. Healing from a c section. Earlier that day we heard my grandfather was picked up by the ambulance for Covid related reasons. Because of all this, I wasn’t even excited to go to dinner. But we went out. Came home and sang happy birthday. Only to hear my mom screaming because she just got a call letting her know my grandfather passed.
#21
My mom threw a barbecue and invited all the family and her friends. I had resigned myself to the fact that nobody had called to wish me a happy birthday and went out with my bestie for dinner. I get suddenly bombarded with “where are you” texts.
They literally forgot to invite me (or my bestie) to “my” birthday party.
When I get there, they literally have my least favorite foods and guacamole (I’m allergic to avocado).
Because we load so much meaning onto this one day, a bad birthday hits us far harder than a regular bad day. It’s basically the expectation gap — when the social pressure to feel happy and celebrated clashes with a painful reality, the emotional fall feels even more devastating.
Research shows our brains naturally remember negative experiences much more vividly, a phenomenon known as negativity bias. On a day specifically designed to measure your worth and connection, a setback like an ignored message or an empty party table instantly magnifies feelings of rejection.
“We tend to associate birthdays with celebrations and positive experiences, but that's not the case for everyone. If you’re not feeling excited or happy during this time, give yourself permission to sit with the sadness,” says Dr. Lira de la Rosa, a licensed clinical psychologist with the Hope for Depression Research Foundation.
#22
My husband picked a fight the night before..... got drunk and started throwing plates around the kitchen...in the midst of having a bipolar manic episode and getting drunk. I called the cops he told them he would stay downstairs...they hadn't even left the driveway and he was kicking in my sons door to get to me...my son had to fight his father and push him out of the house to the cops who were befuddled....they took him to his dads house. I got a restraining order on my birthday.
#23
My dad died 2 days before my 15th birthday. It was quite unexpected and destroyed me. I didn't celebrate my birthday for years. Also this year 2 days after my birthday would've been my due date for the baby I lost and the 10 year anniversary of my dad's death. It hit hard.
Every single day is unpredictable, and life doesn’t stop just because it’s your birthday.
But reading through these painful moments isn’t meant to drag you down — it’s a reality check on empathy.
Seeing how others survived their absolute worst days reminds us to hold our loved ones a little tighter, and celebrate them whenever possible.
#24
I don’t throw birthday parties (or any parties) anymore. Twice I invited 30+ people to my birthday and only 2 showed. One person even texted to say “I’m on my way!” And never made it. Same thing happened to my baby shower. So I don’t throw parties anymore.
#25
I lived with my bf and he didn't want to drink alcohol until he turned 21. So we had a huge party for him on his 21st. A month later was my 20th. I spent the day cleaning the house, thinking he'd return the energy and we'd have a big party. It didn't happen. 2 of our friends came over with a cake, and my bf started eating it before my friends to could put candles in it. When I showed I was disappointed, they tried to sing happy birthday to me, but he ruined that too. It was a punch to the gut.
#26
My cousin [passed away during] my last birthday. I have been informed that I don't have a birthday anymore, it will be "his day" forever.
#27
My ex and me have the same birthday. For years all I knew was celebrating each other on that day. Then last december he left me 20 weeks pregnant, and we haven’t spoken since. Our birthday was in April, just 2 weeks before my due date. I guess my birthday itself wasn’t that bad but it was very confusing and heartbreaking. Suddenly celebrating without him, while pregnant with our son and on the verge of giving birth.
#28
My mum was dying of cancer when I walked into her hospital room. My aunt was there, and sang a Dutch birthday song for my 44th: "Long may she live!", repeated a few times. I haven't been able to hear that song since, without picturing my mum withering away in that bed. Tend to avoid my birthdays now. Just go somewhere else with my husband, don't care where, just not in a place where anyone's going to *sing at me*.
You're not alone, birthdays can suck.
#29
I celebrated my 37th birthday at a police station, filing a report after my boyfriend hit me so hard that I needed five stitches on my forehead.
It was the worst birthday of my life.
Looking back now, I don’t remember that day because of the pain. I remember it because it was the day I finally chose myself. The day I realized that surviving was the beginning of getting my life back.
#31
March 13th, 2019… I get the flu. It’s my 18th birthday. I go to urgent care, they get me on a treatment and I’m required to wear a mask. “You get to sign your paperwork!!” is their birthday gift to me. I vow the next year will be better…
March 13th, 2020. It’s my 19th birthday. I’ve just been fighting a mystery illness for all of January that I got from my mom’s client who returned from Spain sick.
I am excited to go to dinner.
Suddenly, everything is shut down.
That mystery illness? COVID.
#32
My ex-husband refused to plan my 40th and invite my friends to do something. He wanted me to plan it all and do all the inviting. So when my grandma passed away and my mom was struggling with setting a date for her funeral I told her she could have it on my birthday because I wasn’t being celebrated anyway.
#33
My ex-boyfriend and I agreed that combining my birthday and Thanksgiving party would be a good idea because they were on the same day that year. He made the invite calls because he knew a lot of people, and my friends. I cooked side dishes and cleaned all week. We bought a 159lb pig, a couple geese, and a couple chickens for the massive feast. Buried them in the back yard and they slow-cooked for 16 hours! He invited 75 people. He didnt tell one person it was my birthday. Not one.
#34
Planned my own 30th birthday party, sent out 20 invites, no one RSVPd. Spent it alone in my apartment. Par for the course though, I've never had a real birthday party (including my childhood).
#35
My then boyfriend picked me up at the airport, dropped me at my apartment, and dumped me for his college ex. Seven years later, my ex-husband served me with divorce papers. Last year, I got laid off six days before. My birthday is a week from Wednesday and I’m terrified.
#36
Reading all of these makes me feel a little less [bad] about my worst:
I was turning 13 so I decided to throw a big party to celebrate. I invited everyone I knew…so many invites went out. I knew some wouldn’t be able to make it, that’s the nature of any event. I spent the day prepping, even had a friend come over to help… three people turned up. We had a cute little party with sooooo many snacks, but my 13 year-old little heart was broken. I didn’t do any parties again until my 21st.
#37
In college a man decided that my birthday was a good day to break up with me. He said "im attracted to you physically but thats it." Then 2 hours later he showed up with the worst flavor of ice-cream proving he didn't know me at all. I slammed the door in his face.
#38
I didn't have a birthday celebration from ages 7–16 because it always fell over Spring Break and my parents liked camping more than they liked me. And that's not a pity party, they are viciously abusive narcissists and should NEVER have been parents. Oh! I spent my 40th birthday with a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with autism! That sucked pretty hard.
#39
For about a month prior to my birthday, there was a half-eaten box of double-stuffed, white chocolate Oreos in the kitchen. It is known I do not care for Oreos in any form.
My birthday arrives. My mother has forgotten. I have already figured out she forgot because no card in the morning.
She realizes this around late afternoon and calls me downstairs to give me something. She’s holding a small white box with that cringey smile and says happy birthday sweetheart. I point at the box and say “If those are Oreos, I’m going to be really upset.”
She gives them to me anyway —I can smell them — and makes me open the box because I guess what else should she have done at this point? Anyway after that she regularly forgets birthdays and I never brought it up in fear of something like Oreos again.
Oh. And then there was Election Day 2024. I’m a November 5th birthday girl.
#40
I had food poisoning and woke up to frozen pipes, so I had to sit in the basement with a hair dryer to unfreeze a pipe before it cracked.
#41
My ex bff slept with my ex bf when they’d gotten me so drunk I passed out. I woke up to throw up and busted in the bathroom to see him bending her over the toilet. I had to puke so I puked all over her back and his chest, turned on my heel and left her there (I was her ride). No regrets!
#42
My favorite uncle (and only uncle who kept in contact after my dad left us) died the night before. No one told me, and the next day on my bday my father called and started the call with “you’re a terrible daughter. By the way, your uncle died.”
#43
I’m always the first person to remember everyone’s birthday. My parents, siblings, boyfriend, friends, literally everyone.
But somehow, nobody remembers mine. Not even a single birthday wish. Woke up on my birthday to a silent day as usual.
After a while, to be exact 2 years ago, I stopped being the initiator and the reminder for everyone. I just let it be and stopped putting in that effort.
#45
For the first time in years I wanted to celebrate my birthday, to go out, dress up, eat at a restaurant (depression gets always worse around my birthday) and 3 days before, two catastrophic earthquakes happened within seconds. Sad birthday then, with a LOT of anger towards the people on my government for basically let tens of thousands to die under the rubble.
#46
Nov. 26, 2018 — Found out the guy I’d been dating had a girlfriend… of 11 years. He made me a side chick.
Nov. 26, 2019 — My first official boyfriend was supposed to take me out for dinner, but “unexpected” work meetings kept him two extra hours. Birthday dinner never happened.
Nov. 26, 2025 — Asked my now-ex for space bc I was mentally overwhelmed. He picked a fight instead, didn’t greet me on my birthday, then somehow “accidentally” got married to a stranger in Vegas two days later.
#47
My birthday is New Year's Eve. I spent the night on an airport bathroom because I had norovirus and was too sick to fly, so my mother (whom I was visiting) said she would come and get me in the morning if I was still sick. I was. She forgot.
#48
On my 29th birthday i was sitting at a hospital room with my son who had a severe stomach bug. It was in an unknown city because we were on our way from Ukraine to Poland because russian invasion started 6 days ago. Did i also mention i had my son’s vomit in my hair and no shower, shampoo or hot water in the hospital?
#49
On my 13th birthday I went to my fathers funeral. My Grandparents didn’t know it was my birthday and when they found out they mouth dropped to the floor. I told them it was okay because the look in their eyes. I will never forget that.
#50
Birthday is today, so it's only halfway done. I work at a vet clinic and twice a month is a big surgery day. That's what today is. Got told to come in at 7:30 a.m. for intakes. Showed up at 7:20 and still got yelled at for not clocking in early enough. Mind you, I'm only 2 months in to this position and my normal start time is 8 a.m. Then, I wasn't told that I was taking the early lunch hour, so I was late to clock out for that, which in turn makes the others late for theirs.
#51
My birthday is the end of February, it almost always sucks. I honestly feel it's the worst time of the year between weather and just wanting winter to be over. The worst was a planned party no one showed up to.
#52
It was my 36th. My niece and I have the same birthday, and we have a tradition every year going to a restaurant together to celebrate. I was throwing up from a stomach bug and couldn’t celebrate at all with my family. It was lonely.
#53
When I turned 23 I threw a party invited 20 people 3 showed.. cried the whole party..the next year my boyfriend ( later husband) threw me a surprise party 30 people showed..restored my faith in people.
#54
I was going through a divorce and my ex husband (with whom I was no longer living with) threw me a surprise birthday party at my parent's house. No one but his family came. He chewed me out in the driveway because he saw a male coworker wish me a happy birthday while he was going through my phone to "change the music" while I was going to the bathroom.
#55
My 30th. It’s planned a whole trip to Vegas. I wanted to do something fun and exciting but not too crazy expensive. Got it all set up myself, made all the plans, asked several people to come with me. Every single person backed out at the last minute so I went alone. Had a head cold the entire time.
I never planned or asked anyone to do with my birthday ever again.
My ex reinforced that decision.
#56
My 23rd birthday, with my best friend visiting me, I was sick after eating bad sushi. The whole day.
#57
My abusive ex yelled at me in Costco while I bought my own cake and then yelled at me all the way home for crying.
#58
I have a New Year’s birthday.
Planned a NYE/birthday kickback (as I’ve done the last 8 or so years) and everyone previously confirmed their attendance until literally 30 minutes before the party was set to start. Essentially every one backed out or stopped responding.
I spent that birthday drinking with a guy I had just started seeing just cause I didn’t want to be alone since the mom who raised me had passed away 5 months prior & it was the first holiday/birthday season without her.
#59
All my birthdays are the worst. I've never had a birthday party, or even a normal birthday.
November 1st (which is my birthday) is All Saints' Day, a day when everyone in Poland is sad, reflective, and goes to cemeteries.
#60
my 19th, we had to have our family dinner the day before since my mum was working the actual night of my birthday. i had worked all day and when i got home i was excited to dress up and go out to dinner. unfortunately the whole family was in a mood and rushed me out the door the second i was dressed. when we got to the restaurant my mother literally said “why are we even here?” because i was upset and quiet. i went to the bathroom and cried.
#61
I told my husband I didn't want cake for my birthday bcs I don't eat cake. I just want to make it a day about me. Just. one. day. Asked for simple birthday lunch. He made a fuss about having a cake because "the kids like cake". Then we got into an argument bcs of just that. So I gave in. Said let's go have cake. He said no. That was it. Did not celebrate my birthday that day.
His birthday came next month. Went on the whole day as per usual. Did not mention anything about his birthday. Nope.
#62
My boyfriend broke up with me a week before my 21st birthday (my birthday is in the first week of January so he broke up with me on NYE) and I spent the day drinking tequila with my brother watching movies. In hindsight it wasn’t so terrible but I was miserable.
#63
My 22nd while I was out getting a birthday drink with my boyfriend, he got the call that my aunt had died. I knew something was wrong when my dad called him and told him the news first.
#64
My 18th was bad. I invited a lot of people for a sleepover party. My boyfriend at the time didn’t understand why I didn’t want to be overly affectionate around my friends, only spoke to his friends, all he did was smoke and get drunk on beer he got separately. Ended up making me so uncomfortable I broke up with him at the party.
#65
My 22nd birthday. Had a birthday dinner. Invited 10 people I was close and spoke with everyday. They all RSVP’d yes. Only 3 people showed up. My mom also forgot my birthday for the second year in a row at that time. I cried to sleep that night. Everyone also forgot my birthday the next year and the year after that. I stopped celebrating it ever since.
#66
The entire world shut down on my 31st birthday, March 16, 2020, when we were about to put our house on the market to pay for the giant RV we had just bought to move into full time. It actually all worked out better than we could’ve ever possibly imagined, but on that day, it felt like we had absolutely ruined our lives.
#67
On my 21st birthday, I worked 15 hours, from 7am til 10pm, with no major breaks between my two jobs. Nobody told me happy birthday; no calls, no voice messages, no texts, nobody saw me in person, nothing. I broke down crying in the parking lot of my second job after close. A car full of five young men spotted me from across the parking lot, drove over, and threatened to beat the [hell] out of me because they thought I was staring at them.
I also got carded for the first time, but for Tylenol.
#68
My 18th birthday. I have a summer birthday, I spent a month talking to my “friends” about going to the water park for my birthday. Got confirmations all around, double confirmed a week before. Day of comes, every single friend bailed. Said they had other plans. No real explanations. Told my parents, that had dinner plans with friends. They offered for me to come with them to a place with no one my age. I spent 18 with 4 adults that didn’t really talk to me and very alone.
#69
My birthday last year. My grandma died exactly one month before my birthday. I had a small party only with family members, couldn't bother call any of my friends because I was very, very sad. It felt hollow, in a way. Something was missing, and I needed my family close to me. Back then I was also recently diagnosed with burnout syndrome thanks to a job I quit 2 months before. I remember going to bed crying, because nothing happened the way I planned and I missed my grandma deeply.
#70
It’s snowed on my 21st birthday. I called my friends and no one wanted to join me in celebrating. I caught a ride to the pub, threw up after a few drinks and walked in the snow two hours home. I cried at the end of the night. My feet were wet and I was alone & wasted, walking in the dark.
#71
The day of my family party for my 25th birthday I was discharged from hospital after nearly dying from complications from strep throat. Into a snowstorm. So I felt like death, couldn’t eat the food prepared, and nobody could make it due to snow.
Turns out it was an omen. That year was the worst of my life (though 2025 tried to compete)
#72
Not mine but my sisters -
Mom died a week before sister turned 30 but she had already planned the whole party….funeral themed “death to your 20’s”, decorations and cake ordered (headstones in the yard, coffin shaped cake)
Imagine burying your mom and three days later she throws you a funeral birthday. Diabolical and hilarious. I was fighting for my life grieving but Mama was a joker til the end.
#73
We were supposed to go to my moms for my birthday party. I was tired from staying up all night with my (then) bf and my friend so I took a nap. Asked to be woken up a couple hours later. They let me sleep through it. I missed my own birthday party because my (ex) bf “didn’t really feel like going.”
#74
For three years in a row the week of my birthday, we had to attend a funeral (9-great aunt, 10-favorite great uncle, 11-grandfather) and I struggled to really celebrate a birthday for years out of fear of someone ☠️.
#75
I believe this was my 22nd or 23rd bday. Made plans to go the Cheesecake Factory with my friends, my ex, and my mom. My ex decides because it’s about me, let’s take our sweet time getting ready and then drop a bomb that he invited his homeboy and I had to pick him up. I was over 30 mins late (my people know I’m punctual) in a bad mood and still had to be around him when I left… OH and I had to PAY FOR HIM AND HIS FRIEND!!!
#76
I was about to turn 50 on New Years Eve (which was a special day for me since I’ve never thought I’d turn 50 at all) and my ex wanted to gift me with a short holiday somewhere. He had acting pretty secretive about it but two weeks ahead of my birthday I asked him if I needed to take a few days off.
As it turns out- he didn’t plan anything and I spent my birthday on my own. Needless to say, he didn’t gift me with anything.
#77
2022 : I was driving 12-13 hours to NC to see family with a car full of teens and dogs. I got a flat and found out about women’s rights being eradicated whilst sweating on a curb in the middle of nowhere.
#78
My ex broke up with my on my 24th birthday in front of all my friends, including one who flew in to come see me, because about a month prior, I said I wasn’t okay with him dating another woman while being with me. I thought he completely cut contact with the woman but apparently he was just stewing and got very resentful. It all happened at a beach about an hour and a half from home too so my friend who flew in had to sit in the back seat of the car while I sobbed the whole way home.
#79
I went back to college before any of my friends to celebrate my birthday with my boyfriend. When he didn’t pick me up at date time and I was freaking out, assuming he’d crashed (pre-cell phone), the worst mean girl in my dorm told me he’d already been by….to pick up her roommate. He GHOST DUMPED me on my birthday, took another girl out, and didn’t even tell me. I sat there all dressed up, smelling good, with no friends to go out with either bc they weren’t arriving until the next day.
#80
My dad slapped me on my 10th birthday so hard the mark didn't fade away for 4 days. it was because my 3 years old sister fell down at my closed door and cried. I will never forget this story.
#81
My 18th I invited about 12 (supposedly close) friends to dinner. 3 came - one was my recently broken up with bf who (I thought) still wanted to get back together. The actual day of my birthday was spent at home alone- no gifts/ friends - My best friend had canceled (in hindsight she was dating my ex). I ended up a crying mess. Decided then not to care about who comes to my birthday.
#82
My ex husband planned a surprise party, had my bestie take me out while he prepared, but didn’t coordinate what time we should arrive.
When we got to my house, he and all his friends were already plastered.They were the only other guests.
He got me my least favorite type of cake, and a hideous gift that was to his taste. Pizza was cold.
After everyone left, my stomach turned over and we discovered someone had thrown up all over bathroom, cleaned it with paper towels and then flushed them.
We ended up driving around downtown San Diego at 1am looking for a gas station with an open bathroom so I could have diarrhea.
#83
My brother announced that he and his wife were getting divorced one year. It was literally the first news of the day.
#84
It’s not the worst one but the most recent one I had I spent secretly crying alone. The guy I was dating at the time had promised me he was gonna make my favorite fish and spend the whole day with me and take me 4 wheeling in the snow. He drove me to Starbucks, I paid. He got a bottle of wine for me and I drank some alone in his bedroom while he played video games and drank beer all day. I cried in the afternoon when I asked him to come hang out with me and he said “in a little bit” but didn’t.
#85
On my 20th birthday I went to visit my mom (and younger brothers) and instead of congratulating me she asked for they key back, so I couldn’t come and go as I pleased.
#86
On the eve of my 18th birthday up until the morning of my birthday, my parents were shouting at each other on the top of their lungs. Things were flying everywhere, so many glass shards on the floor. Later that day, I didn’t even have the energy to celebrate my 18th birthday and the following birthdays that came.
#87
On my 30th birthday I went out thrifting by myself and to get a little treat. I then got a call from my husband that someone was trying to break into the house. My 4&6 year old were there with my husband. It was the middle of the day! Thankfully they caught him but it left me feeling sick. I came right home, didn’t sleep right for weeks.
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