Birthdays

Today was my friend, lets call her K's. birthday. She turned 19 today. Since it WAS her birthday, me and my other friend, M, went out. Unfortunately, because i had work, i only met them at 9.30. We were walking towards Suntec, to NYDC, to eat and an interesting thing we noted was that, everybody was walking in the opposite direction. To me, it felt like we were the only ones going out, to have fun. It was a feeling that i can't quite describe just yet. Because we started out so late, when we got to nydc, kitchen was closed, only could order dessert, or takeaway. K and I hadn't eaten dinner yet, M already had something. But she(K) decided to have dessert anyway! so we ordered, and M went to tell the waiters to put a ccandle on her cake slice. I think she was pleasently surprised.
To me and even M, blowing out a candle on your birthday is an absolute rule that cannot be broken. For me, it can be real, or figurative, but it must happen ON the day itself. Birthdays are extremely important to me. On that day, its MY day and actually, anything can happen, so long as I actually FEEL happy the whole day. Sometimes in the past, my birthdays hadn't gone to plan, and initially i was very upset. But over time, i realised that i had people i loved around me, who had wished me, and it WAS my day, so i was still happy at the end of the day. last year, my birthday was the same day as deepavali, something i found extremely cool. Because my birthday was a week away from my a levels, i couldn't celebrate properly, neither did i have any presents, cuz not even my sister could get me one;she was still having o's. My father sprung a surprise visit to my grandmother's house in yishun early in the morning, something, i truthfully(initially) had not been too happy about. But when i got there, my grandma was so happy to see both of us, and had cooked up such a feast, and even made her new maid buy me quite a delicious chocolate birthday cake that i immediately felt very loved and touched. i had a wonderful time, and i then realised that often, i may dread certain events, or functions, but usually at the end, i have a fun and great time and go away feeling quite content. On that last birthday, nothing was done the way it usually was, i mean i was studying on my birthday for crying out loud! and i was veg!

But, my friends and family sent me their wishes; i spent the day with family and relatives; i wore new clothes and i realised that yes, my birthday will always be MY day, but it needn't revolve around material things like presents and treats. I realised that to me, as long as people remember and wish me, and i spend the day feeling happy, my birthday is a success in my eyes. (by the way, that last 18th birthday, i got 3 cakes. yes, 3!)
Just to finish the above story, we ended up full and walking to esplanade, to sit by the water and talking till about 11 when we realised we had better go home cuz the birthday girl's got work tmr and our last buses and trains would be leaving soon. i got home the latest ever, 12.05, with my parents fast asleep. I think she had a good time, or at least i hope she did. Like i said, no matter what can happen on the birthday, as long as the birthday person is happy, or can find the happiness somewhere, it was successful. Personally, i can't till its my next birthday!

shini