Blowing out the candles on a cake, such a seemingly innocuous activity, might have been a more arduous chore than any of us could know for Tiger Woods -- and that wasn't that many birthdays ago.
We tend to take things for granted, even now after an incredible year that saw Woods win his fifth Masters and his 82nd PGA Tour title, and go 3-0 as a player while also captain of the winning U.S. Presidents Cup team.
Even his world ranking, which hovered in or around the top 10 all year, now has him sixth.