It's my birthday today. Yeay! Happy birthday to me. My birthdays have never been a big deal, the highlight of which usually comes from lovely wishes from friends and family. This year I would like to remind myself of all the wonderful things I have to be thankful for:
- My children: I am truly blessed to be the mother to three adorable, smart, sweet, funny and good kids. Okay, I am a bit biased but I truly believe that Allah knew that I would need great kids to fill my life with love and that is exactly what they are.
- My family: I give thanks each day that I have supportive parents who have stood by me through everything. They travel from KL-Kuantan almost every weekend just to make sure that I do not feel alone and so that I get to have a break from time to time. At my age, you would think that I would be the one who should be looking after them and yet I stand here still very much leaning on their strength. Hopefully one day, I will be able to repay them. My one and only brother, who growing up was my nemesis is now one of my trusted comrades and his wife, the sister I always wanted. With their beautiful daughter, their little family is also a source of comfort to me. My extended family of cousins, and aunts/uncles and other relatives also bring colour to my life.
- My friends: To my trusted, dear friends (you know who you are so I need not mention by name), your support, encouragement and friendship I treasure dearly. To all friends (old & new) who have been kind enough to wish me a happy birthday and for your very kind prayers, I thank you (one day a year I am overwhelmed by the number of people on FB who write on my wall, thanks FB for bringing us together). To all my virtual friends too, it just goes to show that just because we have never met (or rarely meet) doesn't mean that we can't still be friends. So thank you for all the FB, twitter, Instagram and SMS wishes. A good friend once told me that I should widen my circle of friends, now I understand why. To all my friends, near or far, "real" or virtual, in constant contact or not, I have nothing but love for you all. Thank you.
- My life: I am grateful that I am still here, with a chance to atone for my mistakes and hopefully be a better person. Though I do not know what lies ahead, I am hopeful.
Sometimes, it is easy to dwell on things lost or feel regret for plans derailed. But on days like this, I am reminded that it is always better to be thankful for things we still have. To all those I have wronged over the years, I am sorry. Hopefully as my age increases I will be wiser and make better decisions. Though I have to confess, I would love to still be mistaken for a young person once in a while haha.
