Happy Birthday to Me
Well, all that crying and melodrama only served to leave me waking up on my birthday morning with a headache. The only confirmed plans for the day are fetching my cousin, Inbam from the airport, breakfast with Ransley's parents and dinner with Rans and Inbam in the evening. I felt childish for wanting it to be a bigger deal than it apparently was. I was turning 30. This was supposed to feel different, momentous even. I felt nothing. Chef the dog woke me up with an unceremonious but familiar paw to the face (GP owners will understand). As a sobering reminder that there was absolutely nothing special about this day, I was suddenly tasked with an important work assignment due tomorrow. I still had visitors coming over for my birthday who I couldn't exactly put off. When you work from home, it's hard to explain to family that you're technically on the clock.
I was convinced that Ransley had no interest in my birthday. He barely mentioned any plans other than that we're going to dinner. Besides that, he was aloof and focused on work all day, not much different from any other day these past few weeks (more on this later). Inbam arrived from Joburg at midday and had already made us a spa appointment for the afternoon so I gave in and actually had a really nice time with her and Su at the spa. That evening I put on a dress and psyched myself up for a fun night out to dinner, even though I secretly wanted to spend it with the rest of my friends and family too.
This is also 30
We arrived at the Big Easy at the Hilton and Ransley directed us to the private dining area where everyone was waiting. They all started singing "happy birthday" as I walked into the beautifully decorated, low lit room and just like that, it was suddenly the best birthday ever. Leave it to my husband to come through with the grand gestures. My closest family and friends were there. I spoke to them all throughout the day, including my two spa buddies and nobody gave the surprise away in the slightest. We ate a 5 course meal prepared by an award-winning chef, talked, laughed and ate cake. I couldn't have imagined a better way to put things into perspective. Being able to walk into this new chapter with the people I love the most and with an overwhelming sense of calmness was exactly what I needed.
As we headed home that evening, I prepared myself to get my assignment done by the morning. I finished up at 3 am. As I got into bed, exhausted, I mumbled to myself, "That's it. You're 30."
In a week I would be off to New Zealand on my own for the first time in my life. I had no idea that this experience would change me forever. In posts to come I'll share some stories from my trip and a decade worth of life lessons that all dawned on me in the space of six lonely weeks.