Reflections on My Birthday: Confetti, Cancer and a Side of Clarity

A Birthday Celebration

Last week, I celebrated my birthday—and not just with cake, candles, flowers, balloons, and the whole fanfare. I celebrated it with soul.

🎈 When Birthdays Lost Their Spark

A few years ago—about ten, to be exact—my birthday didn’t feel like a celebration at all. It felt like a reminder.A reminder that my life didn’t matter.A reminder of everything that had gone wrong.A reminder that time was passing, and I wasn’t sure why I was still here.

My self-worth had taken a nosedive. Self-trust? Non-existent.And self-love? Let’s just say it was the unicorn of my emotional ecosystem—nice in theory, but nowhere to be found.

I was showing up for others, pouring from a cup that had been empty for years, and numbing the ache with “busyness” and pretending I was “fine.”

And then came cancer.

💥 A Gift Wrapped in Brutality

Yes, you read that right. Cancer.The diagnosis that shakes most people to the core was, oddly enough, what saved me.

It stripped away the noise, the obligations, the masks—and left me face to face with myself. No more hiding. No more pretending. No more performing.

Just me. Raw. In total breakdown. And still standing.

Cancer didn’t just disrupt my life. It redefined it. It was the rude, uninvited guest that flipped the table and said,“Now, let’s get real.”

As strange as it may sound, cancer was my cure—not just medically, but emotionally.Because that’s when I learned to value life—not just survive it.

That’s when I began to see birthdays not as reminders of age, but milestones of grace.

Bring Me Flowers When I am Alive

🎁 Birthday Lesson One: Life Is a Gift – Savour It

They say life is a gift. But let’s be honest—sometimes it feels more like a clearance item from the “Why Me?” section.

Especially when you’re going through illness, heartbreak, betrayal, or sheer exhaustion from trying to hold it all together.

But here’s the thing: we don’t always get to choose the wrapping.What we do get to choose is how we receive it.

And that shift—from “I have to” to “I’m blessed to”—changes everything.

I used to say:

• “I have to take care of the kids.”

  
  

  Now I say: “I’m blessed to still be here to see them grow.”

• “I have to work.”

  
  

  Now I say: “I’m blessed to work because it lights me up and serves others.”

• “I have to get old and survive another year.”

  
  

  Now I say: “I’m blessed to live another year—and I’ll do more than survive. I am alive.”

🧠 Birthday Lesson Two: The Wisdom That Comes With Candles

You know what’s better than anti-aging cream?Perspective.

This birthday, I didn’t wish for a thinner waistline or a longer vacation (okay, maybe a little for that second one).

I wished for more moments of truth.More belly laughs.More courageous conversations.

More days where I say “yes” to joy and “no” to noise.

Because when you’ve stood at the edge—whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually—you don’t go back to playing small.

You realize life is too short for toxic people, half-baked dreams, or lukewarm coffee.

This year, I didn’t celebrate the number of years I’ve lived.I celebrated the wisdom I’ve earned, the peace I’ve fought for, and the woman I’ve become.

💃 Birthday Lesson Three: Dancing With Life (Even If You Have Two Left Feet)

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not walking around in a permanent state of Zen, humming inspirational quotes and radiating positivity.

I still get cranky.I still eat cake before dinner.I still occasionally cry at commercials.

But I’m more present.I’m more playful.I’m more me.

Birthdays now feel like sacred check-ins—like the universe putting her hand on my shoulder, whispering:“Look how far you’ve come.”

And maybe that’s the biggest celebration of all:Not what’s in front of you, but what’s within you.

✨ What I Know for Sure (Thanks, Oprah)

Here’s what I know now—after all the drama, detours, diagnoses, and divine lessons:

1. You are worth celebrating—even when you don’t feel like it. Especially then.

2. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be precious.

   (Messy and meaningful are best friends, actually.)

3. The party starts when you stop waiting for others to make you feel special—and decide to do it yourself.

4. Self-love isn’t a spa day. It’s how you speak to yourself when no one’s listening.

5. A shift in perspective is more powerful than a change in circumstance.

   (Gratitude doesn’t erase grief, but it gives it a purpose.)

 Let’s Celebrate Together

If you’re reading this and it resonates with you, I want to hear from you.

💖 What is one lesson life has taught you that you now celebrate every year?🎂 Has there ever been a birthday that changed the way you see life?

Drop a comment below and share your story.Let’s remind each other that no matter how messy, complicated, or quiet our lives feel—we are worth celebrating.

And yes, there should always be cake!

A joyful birthday celebration featuring a beautifully decorated cake with candles, colorful balloons, vibrant red roses, and a delightful fruit bouquet.