I have this tendency to look back, reflect and reminisce. I also find myself doing this when events that are significant to me are about to ensue. Achievements, festivals, a new year and of course, birthdays; to name a few.

I've seen so many people around me who don't really look forward to their birthday and I guess that's their own personal way of welcoming/viewing their day. I am definitely not one of those many people. I think I'm one from those very few people I know to whom their birthday means more than I can describe. And this is, again, another viewpoint.

I love my birthday. It's my day, it's my time, it's my turn under the spotlight, it's my time to feel extra special. And I love that feeling.

I would, on any other day, shy away from the spotlight and being the center of everyone's attention. I really feel very conscious and awkward and tend to become delirious and mumble uncontrollably when put in such situations on any other ordinary day. However, I would perhaps not behave in such a radical manner on my birthday. And I'm glad it's just this one day of the year that I let go. So yeah.

I love the fun, the fanfare, the telephone calls (I otherwise despise calls and run away from my phone), receiving greeting cards by post (which is now sadly an extinct family practice), buying new clothes and getting to wear them...and the gifts. Though it hasn't ever been about the gifts (not that I don't like gifts. Who doesn't?!)

My birthday is also a time for me to look back, be thankful and reflect on whatever I've been blessed with. It matters to me. It matters that I look back and see how far I've come, see the paths I treaded on and the paths I gave a miss, be grateful for having the family and friends that I have, and so much more. And it's this sense of thankfulness that lets me go, it's this sense of gratefulness that lets me go and absorb all the love and attention that is bestowed on me on this one day of the year. And I guess that spells the end of this delirium and radical mumbling that otherwise catches hold of me, even if it's just for 24 hours in the entire year. I'm thankful for that.

There have been a lot of changes if I were to look back at the previous year.

I'm done with my Masters which was a hugely significant aspect of my life,
I don't know what I'm doing with my life,
I don't know where I'm headed,
I'm single,
I've made new friends and decided to discard a few as well,
I've burnt my fingers really badly and am still nursing my wounds,
I've become a Counseling Psychologist and a Teacher,
I've started baking
I've had a super huge crush on guys younger than me,
I've had a few significant prayers answered,
I've put on oodles of weight,
I've got 3 pets whom I love to death and can't do without,
I've got meself a gold medal for topping my MSc and yes, I'm proud of it,
I've made some super huge decisions, and just to sum it up,
I've lived my life according to my terms.

And so, the countdown begins! :)