24

wow! I turned a whole year older yesterday. The day was fun. Pretty much regular except that I was just back from Hyderabad the previous day and woke up at 3:30am to catch the Siddhivinayak aarti at 5:30am which got me really tired.
I met up with friends throughout the day, overall had a good time. It's really funny how I don't feel the way I used to on my birthday anymore. Well naturally, it's cause I've grown up and am not that teen anymore (well way past that stage) but I was just remembering how I used to count days from January 1 of every year until September the 21st.
It could also be cause from right when I was little mom always made it a point to make my birthday special. Be it baby theme parties to my first teen (13th) birthday at Mac Donald's under adult supervision, to my first night out birthday at (velocity or fire and ice, I can't even remember) she has made sure that each birthday is special. Every year there is a cake awaiting me at 12:00 with phone calls pouring in every minute and I used to love every second of it. Surprise parties, with enthusiastic friends, big cards, balloons I've gone through all those stages.
All this happened till 2 years ago with Hard Rock Cafe in tow.
Now I feel different. I don't feel the urge of opening gifts with fancy wrapping paper. I don't feel bad if friends forget my birthday or forget to call me on that day. I understand that my birthday may be the most special day in my life, but it does not necessarily has to be the most special day of everyone's life. Mind you, I am not complaining, I really understand it. I feel and definitely am less excited as each birthday passes by. However, I feel content. Happy with who I am, people around me and what am I doing.
Confused about my tomorrow but I guess that's with everyone I know. As I think about the years passed by, the choices I made (good and bad), people I met, incidents that happened, hearts that I broke, people that broke mine, it all forms little pieces that fit together and make my life so beautiful.
As I begin my 25th year (a quarter century) in this world, I hope and pray for good things in store for people I love and me. What happened to the goofy me? Why am I typing like this? This is what growing old must be like :)

My pals at work were sweet enough to get some cake the next day. Although I was dunked into most of it please see the before picture below.