Hot Pink Coconut

It’s My Birthday, Yeah

I haven’t posted anything here for the longest time, so might as well start posting again with a bang. And yes, you read the title right: today, June 1st, is my birthday.

I don’t really enjoy celebrating birthdays. For me, it’s enough I remember it, be thankful I’m still alive, and be with people closest to me. I’ve had fond memories of celebrating my birthdays when I was younger, but as I grew up, I left behind the fascination with fairy-tale themed parties.  Like a kid who lost faith in Santa, I favored the practicality of not celebrating. I’d rather do something intimate, or buy something really useful for myself than blow it all out for a party that everyone who attended will be too drunk to remember.

Surprisingly though, just when I thought I’ve started to mellow down, I opted to party for my 24th birthday. I originally wished to do an outreach at an orphanage, but I wasn’t able to plan it well due to changes that are inevitable in this dog-eat-dog world. To make the story short, I partied for two nights with different sets of friends and treated everyone to dinner. Didn’t go exactly as I’ve hoped (family dinner still pending for next week), but this has been one of my happiest birthdays as a grown-up, 24 years in the making.

In all honesty, I don’t know why I’ve spent a lot (and apparently will continue to do so til Tuesday), just to celebrate an additional year of my existence (and probably new wrinkles and other signs of aging, though I won’t complain for wisdom, thank you). I just know that I want to celebrate, not because I want to please everyone, show off, or prove something to someone, but because I am thankful for everything that has been given me the past year. I have gone through a lot last year with my family and friends, and it’s time I show my gratefulness in the way I know how. So yeah, it’s my birthday.

Happy birthday, self.