36 Candles

"All we see of someone at any moment is a snapshot of their life, there in riches or poverty, in joy or despair.  Snapshots don’t show the million decisions that led to that moment".

Richard Bach

 

It was my birthday last week. Traditionally I haven’t enjoyed birthdays because they have usually been forgotten by the people who are supposed to care about me. This has usually led me to holding a big pity party for myself.

 

This birthday was different. I had very low expectations. At midnight I received a few notes and e-mails from favourites wishing me a happy birthday. I went to work and had family, friends and colleagues call me to sing happy birthday to me over the phone. My team of twenty people all sang me happy birthday (that was embarrassing) and they had bought me a beautiful present; someone had remembered that I had said once that I liked these things.

 

I met an ex-colleague meet me for lemonade and he showered me with complements. He then offered me a job to head up an area (that I currently work in) within his organisation. It is a global company in a different industry to what I currently work. He said I could start whenever I was ready “throughout the year”, for whatever money I wanted “name your price”; to do what I thought needed to be done “full licence”.  

 

I was extremely flattered but I knew that it would be another deviation from my true purpose. I said I would consider it.

 

I saw my sisters on the weekend and they also bought me some music that I had mentioned I liked. Wow, that sounds like I had been dropping hints for gifts but I hadn’t I promise!

 

“But an accurate definition of the self is impossible. You are more than you realize, more than you can define. And the more time you spend trying to nail down the definition, the less time you spend living right now. … Your past is not your identity… You, living now, is your identity.”

George Lawrence-Ell

 

I am finding that I am learning so much from reading other people’s diaries. I am learning about them and I am learning about me. One of things that I am learning is that I am spending way too much time here and not enough time living.

 

This year, I have:

 

  • been obsessive about writing
  • secured a subscription to a theatre company,
  • rejoined my old Ashtanga yoga class twice a week,
  • begun to integrate walking into my daily routine,
  • full time study at uni restarting by the end of February,
  • <span lang="EN-AU" style="FONT

-FAMILY: "Trebuchet MS"”>plans to spend less than 13 hours at work at day,  

  • the intention to get some sleep in between, and drum roll,
  • promised myself to get amongst it, to engage in some sort of regular social activity.
  •  

    “The greatest thing is, at any moment, to be willing to give up who we are in order to become all that we can be.”

    Max De Pree

     

    It is the last thing on this list that doesn’t fill me with joy because that means letting go of whom I am at the moment. I am going to be optimistic about it and take it small steps at a time.

     

    I have one diarist favourite in particular who is working out whether she can give up who she is now, to be all that she can be. I hope we can share a few wins on this front together this year. Perhaps then we won’t feel so blue, or so broken.

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    wow. this is a great entry. excellent quotes. synchonicity always is good. i needed each of these right now. the quotes, your thoughts.

    Cat
    January 14, 2007

    oh! I don’t remember if I wished you a happy birthday yet… so sorry if i missed it. *birthday hugs*

    it’s great that you are going to try to do a social activity regularly. i know how very hard that can be, i am something of a recluse! i wish you so much luck with it, and all of your other hopes and plans. xxx

    I always find people forget my birthday too. :/ Well, except the family…but you know they’re just obligated to remember. 😉 Sounds like you had a pretty good day indeed! Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you about all the kind notes you’ve left me. I really appreciate all your thoughts – thank you. 🙂 I hope 2007 is an awesome year and you manage to accomplish everything on that list.

    January 14, 2007

    I am so sorry I didn’t know it was your birthday last week. I prefer low key at my birthday, no surprises, no wishes for happy birthday. I am the wall flower type. I want to be below the radar when it comes to special occasions.

    Oh, happy belated birthday! I’m glad people made a fuss on your day. Yes, isn’t OD a great place to learn about others and about oneself. (And also a grest place to spend far too much time!) Best wishes for achieving your aims – and especially for getting involved in regular social activity.

    January 14, 2007

    happy belated birthday. the questions about what it means to be human haunt me in my waking moments and invade my sleep: what we are, what we can be, what we’ve become. i suspect we can indeed become what we can be if we give up who we are now, but there’s always those wounds and hurts and fear lurking around, undermining our ground… best wishes

    January 14, 2007

    For the last few years, I’ve successfully hidden my birthdays from those around me! Sometimes I’ll almost forget how old I myself am though (for an incredibly brief moment). Birthdays? Urghdays. Only others’ birthdays are fun, ‘cuz giving is fun, but my own are merely some weird, silent acknowlegement thats last a matter of seconds (“Oh right, it’s my birthday today… cool?”).

    January 15, 2007

    Thank you for the diary notes – and (why not!) Happy Birthday from another diarist!

    Cat
    January 15, 2007

    ryn: i updated the entry with a draft response to her. Is it just my diary you’re having problems leaving notes on? Maybe I really DO have gremlins over here.

    January 16, 2007

    RYN: Thank you for your thoughts, i saw his parents on the weekend just passed. They’re coping, but they pain is still there. I dont expect them to stop hurting.

    January 19, 2007

    Happy Belated Birthday! I am new to your diary and I’ve added you to my faves. Thanks so much for your wonderful notes.