A Singaporean In Australia

On the eve, several people sent me birthday wishes via whatsapp. Wow, have I became so well known in Singapore that people composed cool chinese poems to commemorate me? Sadly, fat chance. I was told that everyone celebrates their birthday yesterday. Oh well, at least someone remembers me, out of the billions celebrating their birthdays. Happy loh.

I wondered why people celebrate their own birthdays?

Birthdays should be celebrated by parents. It probably make more sense. Having gone through the incredible process of labour and being a parent myself now, I will undoubtedly celebrate Albany's birthday next year with Jen. It will remind us how hard it was to bring Albany to the world. It'll be a day of significance to both of us. We can't leave out Albany of course, she will be there with us in the celebration.

Many birthdays before, I had childhood ambitions, teenhood ambitions and adulthood ambitions. I have to say - they diminish as I aged. By now that energy that used to sizzle may have fizzled. As years went by, the feeling towards the date changed from yearning to dread.  I believe everyone somewhat felt the same towards their birthday once they reached adulthood. The despair grows with each passing birthday. Don't lie and self delude. 

But then family and friends will gather around and sing song, bite a cake and eat stuff to make you feel better in which we call celebration. Whatever it is, that's very effective. There are other variations such as booking a hotel room with your boy boy with unlimited posh buffet, going on a tour etc. That's all the same.

This time round, I'll go without friends this time consoling me by having a hearty meal after a hard day of work later in the day. I'll love to give you guys a dinner treat this year round but I couldn't.

Instead, I'll have yet another a tasteless meal by someone before heading for yet another day of work today. When she finally leaves, I'll cook myself and Jen a good meal as a belated birthday celebration consolation.