A Birthday Countdown
I grew up in a family where birthdays were not actually a thing that has to be celebrated. Well, we somehow experience having a party celebrated when we were seven years old, and then it would happen again when we were eighteen and twenty-one years old for my brother. However, those celebrations, including my 18th birthday celebration, were made possible by my brother's financial support. My brothers prepared the majority of the food served that day, and I contributed in some way. In addition to receiving the money, I assisted in the cooking and preparation of the food, which was certainly exhausting.
Apart from the cost and the fact that my parents don't like to socialize during such occasions, they dislike gatherings, especially our mother. We also don't have a place in the house to accommodate guests because our house is basically a sari-sari store. A lot of stocks of whatever product our family makes a living from are being cluttered all over the place. Growing up, I despised this location and wished for a better home, but I believe it has aided my development. My mother always tells me that "where it is sparse, there is progress," which I later realized is true. And when everything is orderly there isn't much a single movement.
As I get older, my desire for a birthday celebration grows, and I envy most of my friends because they can prepare and held a party for themselves, while I beg my parents to do so for me. During my last senior year, I spent my birthdays alone, wandering around places I enjoyed without getting permission from my parents to do so. All I know is that I wanted to relax during that day, that I wanted to disconnect from the rest of the world for that one day.
Birthdays aren't occasions to be commemorated for me; rather, they mark the beginning of another year of responsibility in this world. Another year of mission completion awaits, as well as another year of failures. It doesn't matter to me whether I had a party or not, whether someone greeted me or not because all I care about now is my existence for another year and my self-awareness of my birthday. Maybe once I had my own money, I'd be able to figure out what they were trying to tell me by not allowing us to celebrate every birthday in our lives.
Tonight is the official start of my day, I'm welcoming another year of my life in my own unique way.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
May this another year be more worthwhile to me, I desire to be more responsible and productive, as an adult should be. Please, Lord, guide me according to your will, and please forgive me for my mistakes. May this another year of mine be a blessing not only for me but also for my parents. Cheers to my 21st birthday!
-Gelayy"
Disclaimer: I am neither a psychologist nor a financial advisor, and all of my pieces were done for entertainment purposes only. What I've written here is merely my personal opinion, and any statements made are based on my personal views and should not be taken as fact. Always do your due diligence.
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Happy birthday sis, I wish you will be able to celebrate it with food especially a cake, next time. During your off, engage more in the community so you can get more sponsors.