Birthdays for me have always been riddled with much anticipation - anticipation for what I will get, for what's to come. There's always a sense of entitlement that tells me I deserve something. I deserve to receive gifts, grand gestures, surprises. For one day out of the year, I deserve to be singled out and hailed the most special person living on this planet. It is, after all, my birthday. So when things don't go as expected, the drama queen comes out and I end up feeling like the most unfortunate person alive.
This year, I knew that money was tight. With D and I saving for the wedding and the ongoing financial struggles that my company is facing, I knew there will be no superfluous money spending. No big birthday blowout like last year (or the years before that). No new expensive nifty gadget. No shoe shopping (as is my tradition when I celebrate my birthday). Instead, I settled for a nice lunch with Binky (who was here for a shopping holiday with her mom and aunt) and a quiet dinner at a modest restaurant with D.
I also made a conscious choice not to make any expectations. Instead, I opted to say a little prayer when I woke up, and asked to be content with what I have and to always, always be reminded how blessed I am.
Thankfully, the Big Guy Upstairs heard me.
So last Wednesday, I had an awesome lunch with one of my best friends from high school; I had dinner at a modest restaurant not just with D, but with a bunch of friends who insisted to celebrate my day with me; and thanks to the power of Facebook, over 100 people showered me with well wishes and birthday greetings.
I celebrated my 28th year stuffing myself silly with good food and lots of cake, downing countless bottles of wine, and having an awesome time with people who are dear to me.
