I was not about to make a big deal about my birthday but I was challenged by Wattpad when they greeted me:
"We hope you have the kind of birthday that is worth writing about, share your birthday story with us".
Besides, I was deluged with beautiful thoughts, great birthday well wishes and wonderful greetings on Facebook and Messenger. In a way, I hope this will also serve to thank everyone who made it one of the most unforgettable and enjoyable birthdays ever!
It's great to be 70!
I had a wonderful birthday celebration two weeks ago. It started on my actual birthday, a Wednesday, when my older daughter treated my husband and I to a breakfast buffet in one of the popular hotels in town. It was just the three of us since her husband and daughter were at work and school respectively; and my son and younger daughter had not yet arrived from abroad. For everyone's convenience we scheduled my birthday party on the weekend.
I remember my brother's text greeting while we were having breakfast.
"Happy birthday, what's to drink at your party?", he asked.
Tease him, text back "bottomless ice tea", my daughter prodded.
"that's not healthy for me, too much sugar", he replied.
"Sugar free green tea, it will lower your cholesterol", my husband suggested.
"That's expensive, there are other drinks"
"But because you are my favorite brother, I'll bring wine", my husband further prodded,
"Now you're talking", he replied happily.
My two daughters have been asking me what gift I wanted. I couldn't think of anything, really. Then my younger daughter would message me almost everyday, "do you like this or do you prefer that?", her suggestions were endless.
They were so determined to ask, lest they will get something that I may not need nor want. Finally I said, I'm thorn between a heavy duty mixer and chopper; mine was just a hand mixer (that now easily heats up) bought 20 years ago along with the chopper while my blender was bought by my husband in 1976. Except for the chopper, both are still working though.
After searching on line, she got me a multi-function blender-chopper-mixer; it is a complicated Bruan multi-quick 7 kitchen machine that mixes, blends and chops with so many variations; it is so over-whelmingly complicated, what with the numerous pieces, but a pleasure to use since it can do just anything; though I cringed when I learned how much it cost her.
But then if I didn't tell them, I'm sure they will get gifts anyway; so when my older daughter also asked me again, I just told her to get me a dress, yes, just a dress, for I really didn't want them to spend so much. I am happy with token gifts; but she outdid herself and got me four dresses, yes, four! My son didn't ask, he told me that they will give us a trip to Singapore, we haven't been there this year so it's a welcome treat to see them again especially our fast-growing grandson.
On the night of my birthday our younger daughter and her husband arrived and we had a dinner get-together at home along with my older daughter's family. Then shopping and lunch out the next day.
On Friday, the family celebrations continued as my son, who also just arrived joined us for dinner as well. It is a rare occasion for all my children to be in one place at the same time, what with the miles separating us and life being so hectic nowadays; but they had given priority to this celebration, they planned to be home months earlier.
Many say that 70 is one the most celebrated birthdays, a good reason to party with family and friends. My birthday party gave me a great head start on my 8th decade of life, I am especially happy to have celebrated this milestone in the loving company of the closest and the dearest.
My younger daughter asked me one night how it feels to be 70, (when she is in town, we stay up late to catch up even after everybody turned in for the night); offhand I was caught unaware but then I said:
"I feel the same like when I was 17 though my priorities have changed". Pondering deeper though, there's still that love for adventure and the eagerness and openness to learn new things. While I love to spend time with family most of all, I still enjoy attending parties with relatives and friends. Dark, noisy bars and loud music is no longer appealing, meeting up with friends, for quiet afternoons over coffee or nights over dinner along with pleasant conversation is more my thing nowadays.
In this day and age when people are quick to judge, some are pressured to have it all and do it all. But I'm not in that contest, God may not have granted yet my entire bucket list, but I got everything I needed. Most of all, I am blessed many times over for having the best that I could ever have; that is: my three beautiful children, two adorable grandchildren, two likable and sensible sons-in-law, a wonderful daughter-in-law and one amazing husband. What more can I ask for?
Someone said that when you hit 70 with a clean bill of health, it could be the start of the best years of your life. While I look forward to that, I pledge to live by the words of Sai Baba:
"Life is a song- sing it; life is a game- play it;
Life is a challenge- meet it; life is a dream- realize it;
Life is a sacrifice- offer it; Life is love- enjoy it".
And I add: "life is a gift- claim it and own it".
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