This week, if I were still living in the US I would have been celebrating Thanksgiving. During the couple of years I did live there I was lucky enough to have Thanksgiving fall on my birthday and really got to see how well North Americans know how to celebrate the good stuff, those long harsh winters become so much more tolerable with all those festivals and events.
Here in Australia we are on the brink of Summer and tomorrow it's my birthday. Last birthday I lost track and thought I was turning 33... Maths has never been on of my strengths and the years all seemed to blur into one... when my mother reliably informed me (she was there at the event after all) that I was only 32 I felt like I had gained a bonus year!
And this year really has been a bonus. My best so far. The biggest blessing.
Usually I get so excited about birthdays, I'm one of 5 kids so as you can imagine my Mother didn't have a whole lot of time for individual attention. Birthdays were the days that we got to shine, got to be celebrated and cherished. This year I'm feeling, for the first time ever, fairly ambivalent, there's no pressure to make it a special day and I know why... this year there's no need to be celebrated on my birthday because for the past 366 days of this year I have been celebrated every day of the year and I have my wonderful Mr Mark to thank for that.
So I think it's only fitting that I make this birthday post about the things I'm thankful for, because there are plenty of them!
First, and most importantly is my Mr Mark, as I have told you before he's awesome. I couldn't even begin to try to tell you how awesome he is so lets just leave it at that... I know, I'm a mush-head.
I'm thankful for another year. I know now not to take my well-being and health for granted and cherish every extra year I get.
I'm thankful for my amazing friends. I love you, thanks for loving me too.
I'm thankful for my creative talent, it makes me so happy and enriches my life, every day in so many ways.
I'm thankful for living in a country that is not only extraordinarily beautiful but also one which respects my right live a peaceful life, my civil liberties and human rights.
I'm one very lucky lady and this birthday I'm sending my love and thoughts to those less fortunate. With so much to be thankful for it's the least I should be doing.
Here's wishing you many more years to be thankful for too.
XXX Steph