S turns 27 *zen*

I have not written here in so long that now I can’t find words to string together and make sense. The only ritual I have followed religiously on this blog for the last few years is Birthday posts. So here I am writing about my 27^th birthday. From as long ago as I can remember, I always wanted to turn 27. I thought I would be a strong, mature, independent woman by then. I think in teenage years, 27 felt very far away. And now I am just a stone’s throw away from the big O. Life here on is going to change rapidly.

I took a short weekend trip to Pondicherry after my birthday. To feel and hold my life in this moment, before my cynical grown-up self catches up with my naïve, carefree self. It was another solo travel – my first in India – after the ones in Europe and China.

At Promenade beach in Pondicherry (technically it is not a beach, don't know why they call it a beach)

In last one year, I have traveled to 6 countries. And sometimes I can’t believe I am that person who has traveled so much, absorbed so much, all on her own. I am not a typical adventurous person. People who know me from before consider me to be a shy person who lives in her own world. To step out of that comfort zone and travel, make friends and family out of strangers, is nothing less than a miracle. I surprise myself.

And that is what the year of 27 has been about. Surprising myself. I have learnt that magic does not need tricks. Sometimes it catches you off-guard, and sometimes you can make it happen.

Growing up, people tell you about letting go and moving on. They tend to imply that you must forget everything that pulls you down and start anew. But from my experience I have come to believe that you don’t have to let go to move on. All my past experiences make me who I am. If something pulls me down, I like to sit down with it, immerse myself in that void, test my tensile strength and then spring back. I don’t want to let go. I want to frame it and hang it on the wall. It is a piece of me. I just have to accept it as a part of myself and live. Not let go. But fuse it within.

I realized that so many of my blog-friends, almost all of them, who were there with me when I had just started out, don’t write anymore. I went to the blogs of some of them last week, and the last blog entries from years ago made me sad. We started out when Social Media was not as we know it today - there was no Facebook, Twitter or Instagram - Blogging was more fun then. I feel old now. Haha.

Cheers to more writing, more travel and more stories.

Love,

S

Edited to add: I forgot to mention what I did on my birthday. I had a great time with the people I love :) Cut three wonderful cakes - one that my mom got, one that my colleagues got and one that my friends got. I also got a Kindle and my first diamond as birthday gifts (haha ;) notice how I call it the 'first' diamond hehe. Many more to be bought later). So a happy birthday was had.

For previous posts in Birthday series -
When S turned 23
When S turned 24
When S turned 25
When S turned 26