I don’t know why it almost always happen on your birthday. Maybe because it literally means beginning and no matter how many years have passed, it still means the same thing – a beginning.
I found myself looking back at my life to assess where I am now. For some reason the week has become a week full of questions and dreams and I’m glad to say, the week is almost over and I am at peace with myself.
Last May 26 was the only birthday I could remember where I wasn’t looking forward to the second the clock hand strikes 12 midnight. Usually, I wait for the first text around that time, just curious who is anxiously waiting for my birthday or who remembered but incidentally, nobody texted me around that time too. I guess everyone was busy like I was. It was one heck of a beginning if you’ll ask me.
In my head, I was planning on starting my day with a thanksgiving mass and proceeding to renewing my driver’s license and PRC ID, have lunch at the office and spend time with the kids by watching a movie and fulfilling the promise to drop by what Julia calls “Kiddies” (It’s this area at Kidz Station in Powerplant Mall where you purchase a small canvass that’s pre-heated in an oven so you can color it with a glue-type dye afterwards.). I ended sleeping through half the morning, have lunch in the office with the kids, got my new line (I do have a new number now) at Globe Park Square, meet up with my parents and then go to Powerplant where the kids did go at Kiddies and where we had a little snack at Dulcinea.
It was at Dulcinea that I had this really annoying feeling of not having too much time. It was like the day passed so fast and I “accomplished” too little of what I wanted to do. From Powerplant, we rushed home to catch the 6:30pm mass at San Isidro. I made it through homily and went home, in time to order some food from Martin’s Cuisine. Mom already called another restaurant for the pancit we’d be sharing to the nearby families and bought some pork barbecue being sold under the lamppost of a corner street (in short, “bbq sa kanto ng Isidro”, lol). Dad was preparing Kaldereta and well, a simple inuman session was on its way.
Surprisingly, Kevin dropped by with a Red Ribbon Cake from Kuya Obet. I haven’t seen Kevin for quite some time, the last was maybe September and he did have tons of chika to share. Tito Boleng was also “game” on a little session and the night was young.
To cut the long story short, overstuffed of food, two bottles of beer and a huge slice of cake later, I started thinking of how different this birthday was and in a way, life-changing. A bit of chat early today and my dinner a few hours ago with two of my closest friends was an echo.
There is much to be thankful for in this life and just because we do not get what we want, it doesn’t mean that it’s pointless or meaningless. I didn’t get as much text greetings as I had before but I got a lot of greetings via Facebook (thanks to all who greeted me). I didn’t get as much gifts but I get to gather with family and I enjoyed every bit of it 
I didn’t get to do anything I planned but every moment of the day was worth it. This birthday wasn’t a birthday about making a wish and blowing off the candles on the cake or hearing the happy birthday song sung in a chorus of distorted tones. It wasn’t even about others wishing me a happy birthday. It was about me as an individual, sharing the day with everyone who matters in my life.
I am really grateful for this day, what it stands for and for everyone who are connecting to me via facebook.
By the way, I do believe in birthday wishes. They do come true you know.
