Life is good. No matter our challenges, there's a reason to celebrate all the blessings and abundance.
Since I'm celebrating my birthday, I'm having it at the farm for the first time. It's also the first year we've started developing a portion for tree planting and, just recently, organic vegetable farming.
Celebrating my birthday in a new setting, surrounded by my family in my hometown, fills me with excitement. It's a stark contrast to last year's celebration in Manila, a time of joy and laughter before the onset of COVID-19.
2020 is a simple yet meaningful celebration as I contemplate life's meaning and purpose.
What's there waiting for me?
A lot has changed since the beginning of the pandemic. Uncertainties and vulnerabilities are on the consciousness. We know that our lives matter above all, that life is too short, and that life is precious.
The act of making a wish on your birthday is not just a tradition, it's a powerful manifestation. Our wishes have the potential to attract what we desire, and they become even more potent when they are accompanied by the heartfelt wishes of our loved ones.
Like a group prayer, we often materialize our wishes and hearts' desires when more people are there to celebrate with us.
However, as we reach a certain level of maturity through the years, we tend to direct our wishes to ourselves and more to the people who matter most in our lives.
Our wishes tend to become more specific, less centered on material aspirations, and more on our well-being and enlightenment. The pandemic has made me realize the importance of health, family, and inner peace, and these are the things I find myself wishing for more and more on my birthday.
This pandemic teaches us to go back to the basics, to review and renew our lives, and to try to present a new 'us' to the world. For me, this 'new us' is about prioritizing what truly matters, appreciating the simple things in life, and being more mindful and present in each moment.
Celebrating a birthday at the farm is about celebrating the natural world. Not surrounded by many people but with trees, plants, and vegetables.
I am deeply grateful for another year of life, and I owe this gratitude to my family, friends, and the Divine, the source of all life. Your support and love have been my guiding light through life's challenges.
Life continues, and I will never forget that life is too short. We have to live it well and live our best life. Only the best life we deserve.
© 2020 Del Cusay