Twenty-Six

I turned 26 yesterday. I never understand why people celebrate their birthdays or why other people give the birthday person gifts. Doesn't make sense to me. It's not like the birthday person did anything special that day, they were just born. If anything, their mothers' should be celebrated. They did all the work. That's what I always thought until I watched a scene in Smallville where Lana was trying to celebrate Clark's arbitrary birthday with him (because of course he doesn't really know his real birthday, he was just launched into space and landed on Earth, adopted by some farmers). Clark was sad that he didn't know his real birthday and felt silly celebrating an arbitrary day that he was found as his birthday. That's when Lana said:

"Maybe the people that care about you want to just celebrate the day that you were brought into their lives"

Ever since then, celebrating people's birthday and showering them with gifts made sense to me. But that still doesn't stop me from being sad on my birthday. Not only is it a bitter reminder that I'm another year older, but it reminds me of how little I've accomplished in my life. While almost everyone else I know is happily married and some with kids, I'm still in school, have a large load of loans, and have been travelling around for a full year like a nomad with no sense of place that I belong to.

Nevertheless, it's been the loneliest birthday I've ever had. Even though I do have a classmate here, it didn't help. I spent the day at work and doing normal activities. I couldn't even convince my classmate to go out and eat dinner with me to celebrate my birthday, so I just ate by myself in my room.

The only surprise that made my day was when Liz surprised me with an edible arrangement bouquet. I've ALWAYS wanted one of these. So, let me check this off my bucket list. Check. I always thought flowers were such a waste of money because they just die in a few days. But fruit arranged as flowers, practical and aesthetic! Sign me up!

Look how happy Kurtis looks! 

Thank you so much Liz! You were the silver lining of my gray day!!