Three Decades

I used to think mine was a textbook life because it seemed that each chapter was written off of an instruction manual. That if I was to plot it, my chart would show a steady line going up and down. There'd be none of those super peaks and super troughs that make charts really intriguing. I certainly wouldn't be one who can stand up in front of a convention or an assembly of people recovering from something because I don't have a bag of tear-jerking stories that can be made into a book or a movie. When catching up with friends, I'm never the one with the bag of dramatic tales like those in soap operas. While I realise that's great.... sometimes I couldn't help but think.... is my life just "okay".... too normal... too cliche?

Then I turned 30. 3 October 2005. There I was staring at my 30 candles sitting on my favourite chocolate cake. The brilliance of the flames enthralled me as if they were reminding me the highlights of my life. The cake was decorated with yellow paper roses Cerise proudly claimed she made for me, reminding me that the simplest things are the sweetest joys. The sound of my husband and daughter singing me the birthday song...their voices, while not perfectly blended, reminded me that because I have them, I need nothing else.

In those few minutes my life of 30 years seemed to have played back in slow motion. By the end of the birthday song I had the biggest smile on my face while trying to fight back tears because then I knew I've not lived a humdrum textbook life. I have, in fact, lived a marvelous, fantastic, blessed life in those 30 years. I am happy, at peace, complete. I couldn't complain; couldn't ask for anything more. I could only close my eyes, say a prayer of thanks to God and blow my candles knowing in my heart that this is just how life ought to be.