Turning 30

I will be turning 30 years shortly. I clearly remember a call phone I made to my sister on her birthday few years ago. She turned 30 that time. I asked her if she had anything special planned that day. Birthdays’ were not festive for her anymore. Birthdays remind her that she is aging. I felt her pain because I freaked out when I saw a fine crumple under my eyes when I was 25. Saying good bye to young energetic 20s is hard and it gets harder as we age. Puffy eyes, wrinkles and achy joints are not something to be celebratory isn’t it? Well that was my perception before I met Mike.

Mike, who sits next to my cabin at my office celebrated his 76 birthday few days ago with his family. I knew he is old but never thought he is 76. A sense of shame came over me for whining over aging. Life is more than aging physically and being beautiful and fit. Life is all about experiencing and appreciating every moment our existence. As a child I enjoyed the warmth of my mother, playing in rain and mud, those memorable school days; as a teenager I enjoyed college days, my first crush, chatting with friends over boys; As a wedded women I enjoyed all the martial bliss; those lazy days on beds and eating dinner at 12 am. As a mother I savored warmth of my kids, those first wobbling first step to those shattering laughs and those first words. Life at every stage has so much to offer isn’t it?

Coming back to Mike, he is tall skinny guy with head full of white hair. Retirement seems to be not in his book of life. He loves being occupied with work. He told us that the most fun part of turning 76 was to able to spend time with his great grand kids. They had a quiet evening that day in front of the fire place. I hope Mike gets to experience many more wonderful healthy years with his family and friends. Many belated birthday to you Mike!

God has given me two reasons to be celebratory on my birthday from the past 3 years now. I get to say “Happy birthday to you and to me” to my only adorable son. He is turning 3 on the same day I turn 30. He doesn’t know it yet. He is too young to understand it now but I am curious how he feels about it later on in his life. How do I feel sharing my birthday with my son? Ecstatic! A friend of mine told me that I have forever stolen the thunder of my son’s birthday. She believes that my son can never have his birthday all for himself without being reminded that he has to share it with me first. I never thought people would interpret it that way. I will leave the final call to my son to make.

Growing up I never blew candles and cut cake on birthdays. My parents never made a big deal of birthdays in general. Head bath, new cloths, favorite food ( Bisibelebath and Jamoon in my case) and Rs100 and a birthday song from my dad are things I associate my childhood birthdays with. In the evening I ran to all my friends and neighbors home and give chocolates and candy that mom asked me to give. “It’s my birthday” I would say and in return I could get blessing and sometimes treat like payasam. I always wanted to blow candles on my birthday cake…. Something I never did growing up. A friend of mine made sure I did when I turned 18. She surprised me with a cake with 18 candles on top of it glowing. I will never forget that day. After marriage my husband made sure I blow candles on all my birthdays. What crazy is it with cakes and candles on birthday I don’t know but for now it serves as a dessert for my kids.

So how does it feel turning 30? Absolutely wonderful! I had marvelous thirty years and hoping to have many more healthy peaceful years ahead. Happy birthday to me and to my son.