Birthdays are always very special, and for me, this is the day when I feel like a celebrity. Calls and texts from all the friends, blessings from elders and so many gifts, makes this day really exciting and fun filled. I start planning for my birthday weeks before it. I remember nearly all birthdays of mine, the fun I had was amazing.Well I don’t remember my first birthday (as I was not a super baby with memory card inside my head), but mom says they had a big celebration with all family and friends. I remember in school day’s birthdays use to bring the same enthusiasm like festivals. Whether it’s my birthday or my brother’s or sister’s birthday, all three of us get new dresses else we will fight for it... Wearing colourful dress in school, distributing chocolates in class and getting handmade greeting cards from friends (I still have a bag full of such cards) was what I use to do after special pooja on birthday morning. My mom use to light lamps equal to my age during this pooja. On that evening we use to have a get-together with all relatives and our friends. We three (me, bro, sis) will go and invite the kids with whom we use to play in colony. In childhood I was very fond of lipstick. After my continuous irritation and bothering, mom will finally agree to put a small mark on my lips and I will be so happy. My dimples flash :) . Balloons and 'Happy Birthday' stickers all over our drawing room contributes to the ambiance, as I cut my beautiful cake and then we all dance for hours. There was this Miss L in our colony who declared herself to be a good dancer, but according to me , she is just a copy cat who blindly copies steps from movies (yes its true, not everyone can show steps on the fly as I do sigh :P ). I was always green eyed on Miss L, as on our birthday parties she used to steal all the attention (As a proof of my jealousy there are photos in my birthday album, where she is dancing and I am staring at her from corner).
When I went to high school this big gathering was replaced by less relatives and more friends of mine, but the dance and fun was same (Of course now Miss L was not invited, as I stopped playing in colony, and I was enjoying all the attention :D ). Now archies and hallmark cards took over handmade cards, but the feeling behind the cards were same. Till college this is how I celebrated my birthday.
From the time I left home, for my birthday I only buy my birthday dress, go to temple for pooja (as I don’t have so many lamps with me), now as I have some chillar in my pocket I give myself a good gift (don’t laugh, actually somewhere in one motivational book I read “reward yourself”, I apply it in my life. I give gifts to myself whenever I do something really good and on my birthday. It works well for me :P). But the number of phone calls, wishes and blessings are still same. My mom, dad sends me greeting cards on every birthday. Yes! In childhood during cake cutting we use to keep looking for the piece containing cherry, and now we look for chance to put cake on birthday boy’s/girl’s face. Now I am not with my family but I have wonderful friends who make my birthday special.
Today it’s my fourth Birthday away from home. But the fun and joy is all same. All friends wished me. Some sweet ones took the pain of remaining awake till midnight just for wishing me first, thank you so much for all your wishes :) . All in all I had a nice day. And with this passing day I became smarter and mature, as I believe “more age = more smartness” ;) .
