Tidings that brought change!

 Do you plan your birthdays?

In my entire life I have been groomed in such a way that I don't expect much from others, but too much from myself.  As in I hold myself up to very high standards of behavior and morality. 

I have observed there are some people who plan meticulously to celebrate themselves, well I applaud them and stand by them. Because no matter what it takes guts to plan so much for yourself. The point being, I don't plan anything for myself.  I don't expect anything from anyone. That means when it is my day as in my birthday I don't expect gifts or cakes or anybody to make a big deal of the day. 

This humility if you want to call it that or sheer stupidity on my part, is my mother's upbringing of me. Though don't get me wrong my mom and dad used to celebrate my birthday really well. As in the whole package, cakes, gifts, guests friends everything. 

As I grew up and ventured on my own, I remember my 22nd birthday when I was totally alone. I was in a new city, we did not have cellphones at that time, we only had landlines. So one phone call to my parents and all my family wished me a happy birthday and that's it.  Now I don't remember what I did that birthday but as I said no expectations so I am pretty sure I was happy however I had spent the day. 

Well coming back to the year 2020, when I was about to turn 40, I had a lot of peer pressure. As in a lot of my friends who turned 40 before me had great birthdays planned. Some spent it in Hawaii or Iceland or some other exotic place. Some had amazing parties planned. Some had people planning the surprise party for them. So you see this is what I call peer pressure. 

I mean I was not at all sad that I was turning 40, but more worried about looking pathetic that I had no plans.  I am blessed with a daughter who is like my friend literally and my son, who is adorable and cute, also my husband who is a genius academically and a very humble soul.  Again the point being none of them could plan anything for me. So I decided that this year as I step into my 40s, it will be done with style and aplomb. I knew it could not be unique as I am not that gifted creatively, and I had no patience to plan that much. I decided to have a nice and relaxing birthday. Fortunately, I live in California. I have beaches everywhere around me. So I planned a small gathering of my closest Fam Friends. I made sure everyone I wanted will show up at the beach and just have an effing good time together. 

 

I was so happy with my planning and beginning to think it is not that bad huh, I should plan more parties especially birthdays. hehe 😁

As you guys have already guessed it, it did not go as planned at all. I wanted my Birthday to be epic, it was. It was an EPIC FAIL. 

Guys corona aka COVID 19 happened. we all went into lockdown. And I became the brunt of jokes starting with " Dear, please don't do planning anymore,......" , "You wanted a unique

birthday,...well..." and so on... "Isse accha hota ki tu kuch plan nahi karti, itne baar 40th birthday bola ki corona hi bhej diya bhagwaan ne....."  

Wow 😂 So I decided not to plan anything in the future especially for myself. I mean even if I live to be 100... I will not plan anything. 

P.S: Honestly, I had an unexpected and a great birthday. Lots of phone calls, zoom meets, lots of gifts and homemade cakes. most of all I felt LOVED like never before.