After seeing that thread I’m going to take back and apologize for what I said re sucking it up and getting on with your adult man’s life. The OP is a gay man and in this specific context that does make a difference in this particular circumstance. I’m not going to delve into the whys or wherefores, but I have observed over time that birthdays are often very important occasions to gay men and are a big deal in gay social circles, and feeling you got left out by your friends is understandable.