You’ve expressed that birthdays are special to you, but don’t necessarily have to be celebrated with fanfare. That speaks a lot to how you view yourself and the importance you place on personal reflection. Maybe that’s why you wrote this text – to examine how you view birthdays and your own decisions when it comes to celebrating them.

You mention how you had four enjoyable birthday celebrations with many loved ones around. Could you reflect on that a bit more? Sometimes experiences can help us gain clarity about our own feelings and beliefs. Do you think this experience confirmed your previous convictions or did it offer new insights?

Why we do this: Counter-arguments help readers to engage with the text in a more meaningful and nuanced way. By considering multiple perspectives, readers are better able to interpret the text and gain insights into the author’s intentions and ideas.

Counter-Argument: In this text, there could be a counter-argument that suggests that birthdays are simply meant to be celebrated and that not celebrating them would be a waste of the opportunity to make memories with friends and family. As the protagonist reminisces about previous birthdays, they could consider how important they are and how much richer life can be when we take the time to recognize the date of our birth and celebrate it. “I know birthdays are special" suggests that the protagonist already recognizes the significance of birthdays and may question their own motives for wanting to downplay the occasion.

Types of Evidence: To support this counter-argument, scholars could use evidence from psychological studies about how celebrating milestones can affect well-being and mental health, and how the memories of moments put aside for celebration can benefit the individual in the long-term. They could also use historical evidence and personal anecdotes to show how widely and culturally significant the practice of celebrating birthdays is.

Find Reliable Sources: To find reliable sources to support this counter-argument, one could start by searching for scholarly studies in psychological journals or academic books about the effects of celebrating milestones, as well as books about specific cultural traditions. You could also look for personal reflections in blogs or magazines that discuss the importance of taking the time to recognize and celebrate birthdays.

Your Turn: Now reread the text with this counter-argument in mind and let me know what you are thinking about the text in your reply.