Birthday Reflection

-
It's my birthday. It's been my birthday in this time zone for 6 hours and now that it's 6am here, it's officially my birthday back home also! I basically just went to bed (at around 4am) but somehow my wish to wake up and greet my birthday again became a possibility when I started to stir an hour ago. I do not want to say it out loud (it makes it official) but I'm fighting a cold. It came on yesterday evening and I've been trying desperately to make it go away before my birthday began. Nonetheless, it's still lingering as if missing my birthday was not an option. This unwanted guest might be what made me wake up at 5am. I lay in bed, my eyes tightly shut and tried to breathe deeply and send loving messages to my nose and throat. For a little while I got a bit of relief. Eventually, I opened my eyes and was greeted by the first light creeping into the dim sky. I stared out of the large glass windows and watched as the universe slowly began to paint gentle wisps of daytime into the sky while the lights of the buildings and cars still shone brightly as if marking their place in the disappearing darkness. It was magical! I got up and decided this was the sort of morning you commemorate in your memory and with photographs. I took out my camera and started shooting as the light rapidly changed and the damp cold mist began to rise from the buildings. The world was coming alive now and I could hear and see the cars, bikes and buses hustle by as they carried their inhabitants to begin their busy day. In the distance the trains screeched to a halt at the station and the low hum of the tram rattled by.

No birds sang me an early morning happy birthday song as I gazed out the window. This would have been the case if I were greeting the morning back home. Instead the cold, brisk wind kissed me all over my face and whispered, "You are alive. Be thankful and do good in this world."

I am thankful that I can see another birthday. I am thankful I woke up to witness the first morning light. I will do good deeds in this world. What an amazing start to a great day. Blessings to all and I hope you have a chance to pause and quietly experience a marvelous moment during your day.



Comments

  1. UnknownMay 12, 2014 at 1:54 PM

    Wonderful - great recount of your birthday morning - yes there is something special about a birthday no matter where and in what circumstances - M

    ReplyDelete
  2. TScholarMay 18, 2014 at 5:36 PM

    Good you had a magical start to your birthday. Keep sending photos. Love, MFT

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Visit to an Orisha Yard

-
Image
The drumming, singing, and dancing were captivating. As I looked on I was totally engrossed in what I was witnessing and I felt like I was on a tour in another country when I was in fact only a stone’s throw away from Port of Spain! We were in Laventille to learn more about the Orisha religion for a project on East Port of Spain and the camera crew was dutifully filming three ladies who belong to the faith.   Several shrines of different colours were laid out in a row in one section within an open yard. They went to each shrine and told us about the deity they were built for, what offerings were usually given and a short sample of what songs might be sung in various ceremonies throughout the year. The singing was mesmerizing as their voices and the Yoruba derived lyrics they belted out pulsated a rhythmic vibration through the air. The ladies explain different aspects of the faith and answer questions The Yard with some of the shrines to the various Deities A tour ...
Read more

The massive cross on the hill

-
Image
The massive cross sits high on a hill and is visible from miles away. Verse and I were driving in the Troodos region , heading to the Kykkos monastery when we spotted the 25-metre cross looming above us. Intrigued, we had to veer off route and drive up the hill to find out more. Stavros Fithkias is a small modern chapel with amazing wall paintings. As is common in the majority of their churches these frescos were intricate, bright and tell the stories of the gospels. This chapel was built in the 80’s and is a common stop for pilgrims heading to the Kykkos monastery. Prior to our trip to Cyprus I had no idea what a huge role religion had in their culture and history. (I guess that’s because I knew very little about Cyprus at all, save for the fact that it was the hottest location in Europe at the time I wanted to travel). A whopping ten of their churches (found on the Greek side) are Unesco’s World Heritage sites making this island a must visit for all those interested...
Read more

The Heineken Experience

-
Image
This was the first museum we visited, although the description says it’s technically not a museum but an ‘experience’. After a quick tram ride from our flat it was a lovely short stroll to the old Heineken brewery (which was easy to find, as there is no way you can miss the huge Heineken sign). The line to buy the tickets was pretty long but it moved swiftly. The cost to enter was €17 for adults but with a coupon found in a tourist attraction book we paid €15 for one ticket (yay for discounts). Along with your tickets you are given a green Heineken band that allows you to get two free drinks after the self-guided tour.  Slipping the band on our hands we had no idea what to expect and we were excited to get started on the experience! The Heineken brewery is well worth a visit even for non-drinking folks.  Being one of the most successful and internationally known beer brands, Heineken has such a deep-rooted history in Holland and the tour presents this and information ...
Read more