21st.

This was what I came home to after my birthday dinner; Yon How took me out to a birthday dinner on the eve of my birthday to Rockpool, this renowned fine dining place at Crown. He met me at 6pm; I won’t elaborate on what we had, but the beef (oh my gosh) the beef is the best I’ve ever tasted. It’s Wagyu beef, and eating normal steak will feel so blah now. That’s all I will say. And nothing on the price! :S Haha.

We finished dinner rather early; I suggested that maybe we could catch a late night show at the movies, so we headed back to my apartment, which was just about 5 minutes away from Crown, so that we could check movie times and stuff online. But the moment I stepped into my room, my attention was actually focused on my laptop (because that was our intention in the first place!). Then, “Why is my desk lamp switched on?” And then,

“OMG.”

I was literally speechless and in shock for a good minute or so when I saw the bouquet of flowers and the huge bag containing Marshmallow (the teddy bear). But it was so, so sweet. I think it’s the first time anyone has ever done such a romantic thing for me.

Apparently the bear has been in my own apartment (I can’t believe it!) for more than a week now! He bought the bear while I was still back in Brunei and asked my housemate to keep it. The flowers were brought over by Andrea after we left my place to go to Rockpool for dinner. Sorry, Andrea, for the embarrassment you went through carrying the huge bouquet! :p It’s funny. Hahahaha.

Apart from those sweet moments, there was one final unintended surprise: I lost my boyfriend’s wallet. It’s seriously not the greatest feeling in the world. And guess where I lost it: at the casino. It’s just wonderfully ironic. That kind of put a spot on what was otherwise a wonderful night. But in spite of that, I still think it’s one of the best nights in my life Thank you so much, dear.

The rainy afternoon was spent with Yon How walking around the city shopping… I bought quite a number of things, with the ‘birthday treat’ as my excuse so that there’s not (as much) guilt splurging like that. Haha. Then after OCF tonight, my cell group celebrated my birthday with a wonderful cake that Marianne baked and gave me this necklace thing with the symbolic 21st key. There was also a pair of earrings from James and Carol.

Aside from that, there was all the wishes on Facebook, the sms-es, the ‘traditional’ calls from the old friends… There’s so many of you to thank, but I promise I’ll thank each and everyone of you soon!

To be honest, I thought turning 20 was a more sombre affair than turning 21 is for me personally… 20 was bittersweet for me because of that ‘transition’, but 21 feels … oh I don’t know. I don’t feel like I’m any older. I feel the same as I have always did: me. But my 21st is certainly made special by all the people around me, and everyone who has touched my life in more ways than you all would ever know. Most of all, I owe God my life – for 21 years of faithfulness, blessings, the thorns and the roses, everything that has brought me to this point here right now, the person that I am today.

If anything, turning 21 just makes the passing of time feel all the more fleeting and makes me realize more than ever that I need to cherish every moment and really just live. I don’t want to reflect back on my life ten years down the road and count every regret and the what-could-have-beens. I want to be able to look back and rejoice in spite of, knowing that I have done my best.

The carefree adolescent years are past; it is time to really ‘grow up’ and not live so carelessly anymore.

In the end, birthdays are not so much about how many wishes I received; they’re not about the number of gifts I received, nor is it a significant milestone in my life (after all, graduations and weddings, etc. would be more of milestones in one’s life). Birthdays come and go every year; you are made to feel special only for that one day out of 365 days. If anything, they are moments for reflection and contemplations on a life lived so far, and revisiting lessons learned. I contemplate in the present; reflect on the past that has shaped who I am today; imagine and anticipate the future ahead of me.

I am finally twenty-one.

Thank you, everyone for the wishes.