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October 2009 
Another Birth-Day to Remember...
Posted on Jun 9th, 2008
by 
Nishtha
Nishtha
For my birthday last year, I went all out, planning and preparing for weeks, if not months, in advance for a day-long celebration. I had a theme, I had an extensive guest list, I had party favors (for adults as well as children) to send everyone home with a memento of the joyous occasion and of my friendship. It was fun to engage in all the preparations and to host the event, albeit a bit stressful, a bit exhausting, and a bit expensive.
This year, I decided on a vastly different experience. I made no such plans for my birthday. I planned no party. I barely! ;-) reminded friends of the important day as it drew near. Lo and behold, the day - and the subsequent weekend - were the most amazing, life-affirming days I have felt in quite some time. The whole experience made me rethink how I view my Birth-Day, how I wish to view any Day of Birth, from now on....
June 6, 2008
I awoke with a smile on my face, excited and happy, full of joy. The sun was streaming in through the thin slits in the blinds, sprinkling my bed with warm birthday greetings. I thanked the sun for showing up in her/his full glory for my birth-day.
My partner made me a delicious, nutritious breakfast, ensuring that my morning repast included the most vital ingredient of all, love. I thanked him for being in my life and Being with me. We donned our bicycle gear and went out for a wonderful ride along the Embarcadero of this blessed city I call home, San Francisco. As I looked out through my rose-colored sunglasses at everyone we passed, it seemed everyone had a birthday smile or glow emanating toward me and I thanked them wordlessly as we sped by.
We arrived at Aquatic Park near Ghirardelli Square and took a rest, admiring the brave swimmers performing their laps in the cold, bay water. We took in the whole panorama, the swimmers, the young children dipping their toes in and then running away along the little stretch of beach, the old ships moored and listing at Hyde Street Pier, sun-dappled Alcatraz set in the middle of San Francisco Bay, the far coast of Marin. After our lovely respite, we remounted our bicycles and journeyed back, a nice leisurely pace and easy ride until we had to surmount Potrero Hill to return home. Our bodies protested but our wills persevered and we managed to climb the steep slopes of San Francisco streets (okay, we did get off of our bicycles twice for a breather and long swigs of water) to reach our destination.
Due to a plan arranged earlier in the week with a few friends, our next stop was a Korean spa in the middle of town. Heaven! I lay in a yellow clay room for at least half an hour (yellow clay is supposed to assist in overcoming fatigue and repairing/restoring sore muscles - exactly the situation I created for myself with the bicycle ride!) then alternated sitting in a sauna, a hot jacuzzi tub and a cold soak tub. One of my friends gave each of us a facial massage as we lounged around in the sauna. We chatted about life, our interests, our explorations, our hopes, our travails. In that manner, we passed the afternoon, experiencing the physical comforts that the spa offered as well as the emotional joys that our mutual companionship provided. What a blissful experience to be had for $20!
In the evening, some dear friends arrived and took my partner and me out for a celebratory dinner at a South Indian restaurant in the Mission district, just a roll down the hill from my house. I was able to ingest the food of my homeland, the food of my people. Sustenance for my body and succor for my soul. My friends had never tried the cuisine before and were duly impressed (you might wonder if they were just being polite because it was my birthday but their spotless plates confirmed their words). It was a beautiful end to a beautiful day.
June 7, 2008
An early rise, the sun shining, a trip to a local park for instruction and practice in tai chi (a ritual we had begun about two months prior) and a trip to a local farmer's market for some fresh fruits (raspberries, cherries and peaches!) and vegetables (mushrooms and onions and greens). A friend had been persuaded to join us for tai chi, for the first time, and she loved it. We convinced her to join us at the farmer's market as well and then come home with us for conversation and food. And we had delicious helpings of both. In the afternoon after our friend had left, my partner and I strolled around the neighborhood, taking in the sun and the joy of a sunny, summer Saturday in San Francisco (those of you that know, know that sunny and summer do not usually go together in a factual description of San Francisco!)
In the evening, because we had put off getting to it on my actual birthday, we invited our next-door neighbors over to share in some birthday cake. Cookies and Cream cake from Just Desserts bought at our neighborhood grocery store, The Good Life. Doesn't that sentence just say it all?
June 8, 2008
Sunday, more sun, more friends, more joy. No agenda, no expectations. Simple joy in all the ways it came to me. I felt as if it were still my birthday.
Now
And so it continues. As I hope it will continue to continue, in the days and weeks and months that follow. Simple bliss.
My wish for myself and for each and every one of you is this: may every day be Our Birth-Day!
:-)
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