A Lockdown Birthday

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Abstract

e world to me. Sometimes I’d get a comic book or a box of fancy colour pencils, which weren’t bad either.The birthday parties eventually turned into small gatherings of close friends and a few calls/texts from relatives with whom I hadn’t spoken in a while. Good friends became strangers kind enough to drop a message on Facebook. Along the way, the excitement that I used to feel disappeared sometime during my early teenage years; which I suppose is part and parcel of growing up.Today was the first time that my birthday occurred during such a confusing time in the world, and it made me realise a few things.The people who wish you on your birthday really do matter. Whether it’s a call, a text, or even an email; they’ve taken some time out of their day to make yours a little better.Social media has turned birthdays into a con

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test — it’s not about who gets the most likes on their photos, or how many people show up to the party. You have to remember that what you see on these sites are just bits from a highlights reel that don’t reflect the whole picture. The same person who is surrounded by people on their birthday may feel absolutely lonely around them on every other day. So even if you have one person who genuinely wishes the best for you, that’s all you need. It is not a competition.Lastly, don’t forget that birthdays are a man-made concept. They exist on the basis of the Gregorian calendar; not a cosmic reason. So there really is no pressure on you to make the most of this day — just try to live it as happily as you can.And if you’re like me, try to regain your sprightly childhood spirit by eating most of the cake with your bare hands. It helps.</article></body>

A Lockdown Birthday

Do you remember your age when birthdays lost their charm?

It could be that you still find them exhilarating, which is absolutely fantastic. For me, the single most exciting thing about my birthday as a kid was the rush I felt upon receiving gifts from my friends and family members. These gifts were generally simple toys — a GI Joe figure, a train set, a Hot Wheels car — but they meant the world to me. Sometimes I’d get a comic book or a box of fancy colour pencils, which weren’t bad either.

The birthday parties eventually turned into small gatherings of close friends and a few calls/texts from relatives with whom I hadn’t spoken in a while. Good friends became strangers kind enough to drop a message on Facebook. Along the way, the excitement that I used to feel disappeared sometime during my early teenage years; which I suppose is part and parcel of growing up.

Today was the first time that my birthday occurred during such a confusing time in the world, and it made me realise a few things.

The people who wish you on your birthday really do matter. Whether it’s a call, a text, or even an email; they’ve taken some time out of their day to make yours a little better.

Social media has turned birthdays into a contest — it’s not about who gets the most likes on their photos, or how many people show up to the party. You have to remember that what you see on these sites are just bits from a highlights reel that don’t reflect the whole picture. The same person who is surrounded by people on their birthday may feel absolutely lonely around them on every other day. So even if you have one person who genuinely wishes the best for you, that’s all you need. It is not a competition.

Lastly, don’t forget that birthdays are a man-made concept. They exist on the basis of the Gregorian calendar; not a cosmic reason. So there really is no pressure on you to make the most of this day — just try to live it as happily as you can.

And if you’re like me, try to regain your sprightly childhood spirit by eating most of the cake with your bare hands. It helps.