Birthday speech

NN turns 60

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, dear relatives and friends,

First of all, on behalf of the NN family, I would like to say a warm welcome and a very warm welcome to you all. It is really gratifying that we find ourselves together in this nice and so good-humoured group. Of course there is a reason for that. That means that a special occasion has brought us together here and now.

NN completed his 60th year. That`s why I want to turn to him—my wife`s father, as one can put it indirectly—above all. Also because we both get along very well as human beings.

Dear NN, allow me to be the spokesman for everyone here. We wish you all the best for your 60th year, especially good health, which is above all important. Furthermore, we wish you good luck and success, just everything you need to live - also in community with your dear wife, our mother. Finally, we hope for you and your dear wife God`s blessing; because, I think, that matters a lot.

The completion of the 60th year is already a significant event in a person`s life, also an event that stimulates both retrospect and foresight. One naturally asks oneself: What hasn`t happened in the last 60 years? Didn`t the time pass very quickly? And what else will the future bring? The number and the word “six” can play a role here. Because of that there are associations with various contents possible. But I don`t want to go deeper into that. I would like to mention here what an elderly gentleman remarked on the occasion of his 60th birthday: “Preferably I would have been a beautiful woman by the age of 30, a successful manager by the age of 60, and then a cardinal.” We must all be clear about one thing, as Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach once put it: “When the time comes, in which one could, the one in which one can is over"

Human life is sometimes funny. So after the years of burden one very often experiences the burden of the years. Besides, one should only be old when one can no longer sleep with one`s teeth together. As far as I can see, these two statements do not apply to our birthday child. But the fact that his age is written on his heart does. And that`s good.

When I present the so-called wisdom of old age here, I actually want to stimulate thought, which is certainly appropriate at this hour. It`s about you, dear NN. How was your life so far?

There would be a lot to say about that. I would like to confine myself to a few special dates and facts: Born into, employed as, marriage, special events and difficulties, etc. etc. Always acted with family conscious responsibilities. And always true friend and helper. (Note: Present these facts briefly and concretely, as far as possible.)

So for you, dear NN, heartfelt words of thanks and appreciation are also to be expressed. We like to combine this with the wish that we can be with you and work together for a long time to come. Because we can learn a lot from you.

So you, dear NN, always knew that it`s the daily "small wars" that "break us down". You never got involved with that. And if a thing, a problem, even a dispute grew on grass, then the case was closed for you. You could chase the camel that wanted to eat this grass down to hell. And rightly so.

There is one thing I am not clear about with you, dear NN. It`s about your wife, who is so attached to you. It is said that whoever interrupts a woman has no chance of falling into her arms. Did you always notice that?Have you always been a good listener? If so, my compliments!

As just mentioned, we also want to think of your spouse and life partner. She helped shape you. And for both of you there is an image that we know from a physical experiment by the researcher Guericke. When the two right hemispheres come together, nothing can separate them. So far, I think you`ve set a good example. I find out through your daughter, who has become my dear wife. Dear guests, I would like to tell you something else because it might interest you. In Africa, married couples only get to know each other after the wedding. Often much later for us. And in Catholic Europe, marriage is even called a sacred state. Probably because there are so many martyrs here. Why am I mentioning this here? It does not apply to the birthday child and his wife of many years, nor to their daughter and me. Because we stick to proven life experiences: You shouldn`t spoil life by being too serious. Rather, one should always develop positive feelings and thoughts. That`s how you grow old. Our birthday child is an example of this.

A) Dear NN, we say to you: Ad multos annos, which we reinforce with our applause.
B) Dear mother, we say thank you very much for everything. It should be visible through these flowers and audible through the applause.
C) I ask you all to join me in a warm and friendly toast.

Author: Dr. Franz J. Olmann