Grateful Living

Today I turned 24. And what a pleasant birthday it turned out to be. For some reason, whenever my birthday rolls around, I have all these high expectations and really tend to put on that it’s my birthday and I can cry if I want to mentality. I should have the day off work, I deserve it. It’s my birthday, so of course I deserve all the love and attention. Me me me! But I didn’t get the day off…

A puny mini speaker pumping out tinny techno beats and an unrecognized number blinking on the 2 inch LCD screen of a battered Nokia mobile woke this startled birthday boy. What time is it? 6am. Oh  no, is it my boss calling again? Please don’t let it be work related. I don’t know if I can deal… scrambling to get coffee orders downtown in the next hour is not how I want to spend the first waking hours after turning a year older. Just because I am older certainly doesn’t mean I want to feel like I am grown-up with only grown-up responsibilities filling up every moment of my life. No, instead it’s that lovingly familiar voice I remember from my high school days before a big test. “Jms, are you awake (in Mandarin)? Don’t you need to be at work soon?” It was my mother. I couldn’t conjure up much more than a throaty, early-morning croak to thank her for the birthday wishes. Fortunately, my mom knew me well and gave me the thoughtful gift of another hour of sweet sleep. Love you mom!

Throughout the rest of the day, my inbox was flooded with facebook wall messages, emails, and e-cards with greetings and shout-outs to a happy, fun, joy-filled day. A handful of other phone calls also chimed in with the birthday wishes and my coworker gifted me with a delicate and delightful, red velvet cupcake. Arrived home to find a handwritten letter (do people do this anymore?) and birthday card. Later, Yum! Had burger a la breakfast but for dinner with my best bud at Kuma’s, one of the best burger joints in Chicago (and people know it now too… watch out for long waits). Maybe I gained my freshman 15 instead at my 24th bday dinner with that 10 oz. burger and waffle fries in sausage gravy topped with an over easy egg.

I was overwhelmed with all the happy birthday wishes and want to say thank you to my friends and family for your love. I hope in this next year that I learn to give more since you all have given so much to me.

I’m not as photogenic as Elyce, so this pic sums up my contentment. Mid-Twenties… bring it!

Since I’ve been reading Yeats, thought I’d share another that I really think is brilliant.

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But on man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down besides the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.