Celebrating life or celebrating being alive, that’s what birthdays are to me. Caught up in so many big and little things we often forget to live. Our birthdays remind us that life is the greatest gift that needs to be celebrated every day. True we are working hard and running around to make our lives better, but what’s the point of all that effort if we forget to live. Birthdays, to me, serve as that very important reminder.

For me, birthday is one of the most important day, and I am glad to be surrounded by people who make me feel the same way. No I don’t expect people to remember my birthday and sulk if they don’t wish me. I am simpler than that, or so I think. I remind the people close to me about my birthday and tell them what I want. I feel blessed when they move things around to make that happen. For instance, this year my birthday fell on a weekend and I wanted an outstation birthday. Corbett was on my wish list and everything was meticulously planned. But rains played spoil sport. Uttarakhand, including Corbett, was deluged just few days before our trip. Though I agreed to cancel the trip, it was the sensible thing to do, my heart broke at the thought of being at home on my birthday. Don’t get me wrong, I love my home. But this birthday I wanted to be away, maybe because I have been indoor for too long, COVID, work from home, social distancing etc.

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My friends came to my rescue again. They booked a property in the outskirts of Jaipur and we set out to celebrate my birthday. Though Jaipur is not as exotic or wild as Corbett, I love the city and the property that we stayed in was beautiful. Be it an evening trip to the Nahargarh Fort or gazing at the stars as we sipped our drinks leisurely at night or cutting my birthday cake with the kids (Prapti, Aliya and Amira) every moment was special. My friends who made this trip happen, Poonam, Sanjay and Sanchita, made sure I very felt special.

I sometimes hear people say that there’s no point celebrating birthdays after a certain age for it’s about growing older. That’s not how it works for me though. Birthdays tell me that age is just a number. Birthdays remind the child in me in be alive no matter how many years I add. Birthdays are about living, about loving and being loved. It’s about making a little space in everyone’s mind, no matter how small. For even when people wish me on social media, I feel so special! And this birthday was special indeed, although I did miss so many special people!

Though my birthday break is over and I am back home to my regular life, the excitement and the happiness of the weekend lingers on. The happy memories, the beautiful photographs, the hopes and the dreams will make the year fly and carry me on its wings to an even better birthday celebration the year after!