Thanks for the birthday wishes. I decided to go on a cruise for my 50th and it has been amazing, I still work everyday including holidays even while on a cruise. That's always a great luxury with being able to work mobile.
That's wonderful Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise.
Years ago I was conversing with former forum member Robert who is from the Netherlands. We were vaguely on the topic of age when he asked me a rather strange question like, "You've seen Abraham. Haven't you?" I didn't know what he meant by that. But he explained that it meant that I had reached or surpassed the age of 50.
I did some quick research today and this is kind of the origin of the Dutch expression.
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Seeing Abraham and Sarah: (50th) Birthday
Seeing Abraham and Sarah celebration of 50th birthday in the Netherlands, is referred by Dutch as, ‘seeing Sarah’ if you are female, or ‘seeing Abraham’ if you are male.
It is a ritual that honours a person gaining knowledge through practice. The Netherlands’ Sarah (50th) Birthday Tradition is a ritual that many people look forward to and a reason for a great festivity.
Seeing Abraham and Sarah Custom Origin
The celebration of 50th birthday might be seen by some as being “over the hill” tradition.
Seeing Abraham and Sarah Custom Origin
In contrast, the Sarah custom in the Netherlands respects a woman attaining insight through skill. It is a landmark birthday that many look forward to.
Sarah was Abraham’s wife, hence used for females turning 50. Many consider it a cause to have a huge party.
A custom that hails from the Netherlands, the “Sarah birthday” is celebrated when a woman turns 50 and becomes a “Sarah.” It means that she’s old enough and intelligent enough to have “seen Sarah,” the biblical character and wife of Abraham.
Similarly, when a man turns 50, he is an “
Abraham,” old enough to have “‘seen Abraham.”‘
This ritual of Seeing Abraham and Sarah is taken from the Bible, mainly
John 8: 56-58.
“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
In this text, Jesus is enquired how he could have seen Abraham if he hadn’t yet aged 50 years. He amazed the intrusive Jews by saying,
“Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am”.
In addition to being Abraham’s wife and a usual mate for “
seeing Abraham,” Sarah is valued for having a baby at an older age. In
Genesis 18:10-12, the Bible tells the story of her giving birth well past her childbearing years.
Turning 50 in the Netherlands (Seeing Abraham and Sarah)
According to the bible, Abraham existed until he was 175 and Sarah until she was 127 so if you make it to 50 you’re believed old enough to have ‘
wisdom through experience’.
The Dutch have taken this a step ahead of seeing Abraham and Sarah ritual and allotted a pair to each decade of a being’s life after the age of 50 years
It means you are old enough and wise enough to have ‘seen Abraham’ or if you’re a woman you are old enough to have ‘seen Sarah’ and everyone will know about it.