nineteen

For some time now, my birthday was just another day to me. I'd tell people cheerfully, "hey, to me it's just the same set of numbers I always fill on forms." and they'd look me like, 'dude, what?!' short of saying, 'were you hugged as a child?' Haha, but hey, it's true, and I don't look at it like it's a depressing thing, but to me, it just ain't a big deal.

This year, though, something was different in the air. I was surprised, touched by people both close and far, dear and distant from me: a friend who I hadn't caught up with in a long time, an old friend from high school and people who went out of their way to make my day special, as if to say hey, it isn't just another day.

As if that wasn't enough, tonight my cell group completely threw me off, surprising me with a lit birthday cake right smack in the middle of a gathering.

As the birthday song filled the room, I looked around at everyone circling around me--some faces I knew, some I just got to know, and many I didn't know--I was again reminded of how awesome it is to be surrounded by good people. It wasn't the cake, or even the birthday part, but just being around such good people... felt amazing, undeserving and out of this world. And right in that moment, my heart was filled to the brim, overcome with love and gratitude. Right there and then, I realised, it shouldn't be called birthday, but gratitude day. Of course, that should be everyday. But today, I am especially grateful.