Birthdays are supposed to be a celebration of life, a day when we feel extra special and loved by those around us. But sometimes, it doesn’t go that way. This year, I woke up with the same hope, the same anticipation that maybe today would be different, but it wasn’t. No messages. No calls. No surprises. Nothing.
Is it because I’m ugly? That’s a question I’ve found myself asking more often than I should. Society tends to focus so much on appearances that if we don’t fit into that standard mold of “beauty,” we’re often overlooked or forgotten. It’s hard not to let that get to you, especially on a day like your birthday.
I know, deep down, it shouldn’t matter. Birthdays are just one day out of the year, and beauty is not defined by external features. But still, it stings. It makes me wonder why, out of all days, no one took the time to send a simple “happy birthday.” Maybe it’s not even about looks, but about how disconnected we’ve become from each other.
As I sit here, reflecting on this, I realize something important: I don’t need validation from others to celebrate myself. Maybe today, I’ll buy myself a gift, take myself out for a nice dinner, and treat myself with the love I wish I was getting from others. After all, self-love is the most important kind, and perhaps it’s time I start practicing it more fiercely, especially on my birthday.