Two Five

My biggest achievement on my 25th birthday- I replied to each and every person who wished me on Facebook.

That means that either I’m a very sweet person, or that I’m utterly jobless. You pick.

So ya, in case you didn’t know, I turned 25 on the 12th of September.

(I’m actually acknowledging my age on a public forum. Man, have I grown up or what…)

And it was a wonderful birthday. It began at midnight with three of the best people in my life, along with the yummiest cheesecake and wine. Sounds more like Christmas than a birthday no? There was no smearing of cake thankfully, mainly because there was no cream on the cake, but also because it was just too yummy to be wasted away in cake-facial. Got calls and messages, wishing me a happy birthday. The monkeys from school didn't give me the usual conference call at midnight to wsh me, but it's ok. Since it's them, I can let it go. Also got an unexpected mail from a blogger buddy, wishing me. Thank you, Atrocious Scribblings! :)

Last night, my friends and I went for the b’day dinner. A continental place called Urban Asia, obviously my choice because I LOVE Chinese and Thai food. But the main reason I picked the place was because the colour scheme of the place is purple and black. :D

It was one of my best birthdays ever. Yummy food, amazing margaritas (tried it for the first time, and now I’m hooked), live music playing, and the people I call my family in Hyderabad around me. I was surrounded by love and goodwill. And someone very special went up to the live music counter and sang for me. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Really.

So… the big Two Five. Quite a milestone, huh? It is for me (remember my fixation with multiples of five?). It’s been quite an adventure. I’ve had my share of down’s, but the up’s more than made up for it. I’ve learnt lessons the hard way, lessons that I will never ever forget. Like:-

1) Only if you do what you like, will you like what you do. My tryst with science in the 11th and 12th standard taught me this. In one way, I’m glad I got compartment in my Physics paper in the 12th boards. Otherwise, I would’ve gone ahead and taken up engineering. And if I had done that, I STILL would be writing back papers.

2) If I can learn how to cycle at age 21, I can do pretty much anything else in my life, if I put my mind to it.

3) If you can fall in love, be ready to accept the possibility that you can fall out of love too.

4) Never plan your life so immaculately and so far into the future, that when suddenly things fall apart, you are left stranded and lost. Till two years ago, I had the next five-six years of my life planned. And then… then all the plans unraveled, and my life was a big question mark. I didn’t know where to go, what to do. I decided then that I will not plan so much. I will live each day as it comes, and the most I’m going to plan is the dinner for the day or a movie for the next day. That’s all. So far, it’s working out fine for me. Ya, sometimes I feel direction-less. But I have faith in God and in myself. He has a plan for me, and things will happen when it's the correct time.

5) NOTHING in life is permanent. Be ready to accept that. Someone who calls you beautiful today might call you ugly tomorrow. You’ll just have to deal with it and get on with your life.

6) Mobile phones and internet can be a pain at times. Sometimes it’s nice to be totally disconnected with the world.

7) Give your all to your job. But not so much that you forget to have a life outside of your office. Sometimes, you need to choose money and convenience, and a life, over passion.

8) Money is a dangerous thing. It can break human relations to the point where it cannot be repaired ever again. But then again, some relations are better left unrepaired.

9) No matter what you feel about them, your family is your biggest support. EVER. Don’t ever forget that. They will surprise you with the kind of understanding they can show when you least expect it. You can yell at them, fight with them, push them away, but they will still love you. Unconditionally.

10) If you have a handful of good friends, who will stick by you no matter what, it is a sin to even ask for anything more in life. iPhones will come, Mercedes’ will go. But friends will stay.

I leave you with a quote from one of God’s greatest gift to mankind- Calvin and Hobbes. Bill Watterson, you are THE ultimate.

“Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine, and valleys of frustration and failure.”

I’m somewhere between a summit and a valley as of now…and yet, I’m strangely at peace. Maybe age does that to you.

Happy birthday, Divya. Time you started acting 25 rather than 2+5.