Twenty

This year is quite interesting for me and most of my friends. This is because a lot of us will be celebrating, or have celebrated, 20 years worth of living. And that is a HUGE deal. Why a huge deal? Personally, it is because of the realization that I have been living on this earth for two decades. TWO DECADES.

Some would say that age is just a number. How old you are is just a matter of formality and mathematics. They say that your experiences are the real teachers and measures of how mature you are. To some extent I do agree but, on the other end I have to say that age DOES say a lot of things too. It tells people of the amount of hours you've been breathing on earth. It tells people of how many falls you have encountered in life. Basically, the older you are, "the more salt you have tasted" in life. This is the reason why I have so much respect for those older than me. I remember once my aunt asked me why I bother calling my friends who are one year older 'kak' or 'bang'? I replied to her simply because the person's OLDER. How weak they may seem on the outside, those quiet moments are actually restraints from regretting saying or doing anything later.

I am twenty now. God. It is still surreal for me to say (or type) it. I'm no longer a -teen (even though some have decided to call it as twenteen.) But reality, you can't run from it. I am twenty, and proud of it. Some are scared, some just shrug it off. I do neither. I happen to be the type of person that love birthdays, anniversaries, rayas, any special date for that matter. Sentimental? Perhaps. Is it also because of the gifts? Nope, I didn't get as much gifts as I used to when I was ten. Why is it then that dates are important to me and the special ones are treasured? It is because these special days are the time for me to be thankful and to be merry.

Anyway, back to the gift story. My present this year is extra special. Instead of getting material things, my gift this year is the simple realization that I am actually loved by those close to me. I am a huge believer in "small but precious" groups of friends. Even though I don't have a whole floor of friends that I can go in and out of their rooms, the ones that I have do care and for that they mean the world to me. Same goes for my family. Mine may just consist of four people (+ Kak Nor), but these are the people that will really love me unconditionally, to the core of its meaning.

I am twenty now and I am proud of it. I am a year more mature than before. I am a year wiser than before. I am a year calmer than before. I am a year more grateful than before. I am a year more experienced than before. I am a year more loving than before. I am a year cuter than before. But most importantly, I am a year OLDER than before with the whole intention of enjoying and learning more in this year to come.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.



-C-