Today is a cause for four times the celebration.
We Leapers have been underappreciated our entire lives. From being deterred from numerous forms and applications because of our unrecognized birthday to taking the brunt of juvenile jokes, we've truly heard it all.
"You only have a birthday every four years? That must be awful!"
"You only get presents every four years? That's terrible!"
"Why do you celebrate your half-birthday on Aug. 29? That makes no sense!"
Yes, we've heard them all, but if you'll excuse us, we wouldn't have it any other way. You see, we're special.
Not the "grandparents call me special because of my unfortunate birthday" kind of special, nor the "friends make fun of me because they get to celebrate their birthdays every year" kind of special.
No, Leap Day babies are perhaps some of the most special people who have ever walked the face of the earth. And here's why:
You have a one in 1,461 chance of being born on our day.
Our birthday is the result of reform by Pope Gregory XIII. How many of the other 364 can claim a pope lobbied for them?
According to an old Irish legend, St. Bridget once made a deal with St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men on this sacred day. How many of the other 364 have a tradition similar to that?
Pope Paul III and, perhaps more importantly, Ja Rule celebrate their birthdays today.
Leap Day may not always be there for him when he calls, but our birthday is always on time (credit to those of us who get this song reference; hip-hop just isn't the same today!)
Which, come to think of it, means Ja Rule celebrates the big number nine today!
Lil Wayne may be the self-proclaimed best rapper alive (fellow Detroiters: We know Eminem would disagree), but Ja Rule takes the cake for being the youngest rapper to ever sell 30 million records worldwide.
But in all seriousness, today is undoubtedly the most unique calendar day, and the lucky few who claim today as their date of birth are some of the most unique people you might know.
It's certainly next to impossible not to have an absolutely vibrant personality when you claim Leap Day. In fact, informing friends and acquaintances of my birthday is generally followed by, "Wow Llorens, you would be born on Leap Day."
I'm sure fellow Leapers know where this comes from and I'm not sure if we know exactly what you mean by it, but we'll take it.
So, I'd like to wish to wish myself (of course) on my fifth birthday, along with Ja Rule and Leapers across this great world of ours, a very happy birthday!
And if there is some birthday boy or girl who has a home under the Dome, let's relish all today has to offer together.
Contact Adam Llorens at allorens@nd.edu
The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
