Birthdays

Well my birthday has come around. I am now one year older, but am I any wiser? That's up for debate. I have spent many birthdays away from close family and friends, so spending this last birthday in the company of some truly wonderful people was something that I sorely needed. Not to say that birthdays in the past with some friends were not good, but having two days where I was able to completely relax and not have to worry about anything was an experience that I have not had for a while. My last three birthdays have either been out of the country or in intensive language programs, so spending a day where English was the dominant language and I was surrounded by familiar faces was more than restful enough.

So what did I do that made my birthday so restful? Nothing really, and there was nothing wrong with that. I just spent time with a good friend of mine and was introduced to friends of hers that I got along with wonderfully. I also met someone who is a day younger than myself and was born in the same hospital that I was (how's that for a coincidence?) We went to movies, watched a few television programs, undertook new craft projects, hung out, and generally just had a good time. Compared the past three birthdays where I was either taking a test, studying to take a test, or scrambling down a steep hillside to go learn metal smithing, I think the order of the day was rest.

Although my birthday weekend is over, I have one last gift to myself that I am going to give. This coming weekend I am going down to Washington D.C. to visit a good friend of mine from China. There will be much nostalgia, good food, and dancing. It has been over four years since I was last in Washington D.C. and the two nights I have there will not be nearly enough time to do everything that D.C. has to offer. That all said, I am very grateful for the two nights that I will have and I know that I will enjoy the company of the awesome people.