A special birthday and celebrating Friendships!

I can’t believe that we are already half-way through November! It's November so that can only mean one thing, it’s my birthday! It has always been a special month for me since it’s my birthday but it’s a big one this year! Can I put it on hold until next year I wonder, since this hasn’t really been a normal year?! But no, we cannot stop the march of time. Age is just a number I tell myself, but it is, and it isn’t. On the one hand I feel old age creeping up (rheumatology appointment next week) but on the other hand I am so happy to be here because it is a privilege denied to many. Too many lives lost this year, sadly. So, I now join Steve in the big 60!! I like to think of it as six decades of experiences that have shaped me into the person that I am today, some like me, some don’t, I’m okay with that.

I remember previous milestone birthdays like they were yesterday, can it really be 42 years ago that I had a joint 18th birthday party with my friend Wendy??!! No, it can’t be! One thing is for sure time really does fly. It is also now an extra special day as I get to share it with my gorgeous granddaughter who will be 2! With her whole life ahead of her, it will be a different world for her. She is strong and fierce, and I love that, it’s what the world needs, more strong women. At this time I would normally be planning all sorts of exciting things and I had hoped for a party or two, however this year is different and it will be a much quieter event, but given the current world situation that’s okay, I’ll make up for it next year, hopefully. I remember at my 50th I vowed to have a decade of memorable birthdays; one thing is for sure that decade passed in the blink of any eye.

This month I’d like to celebrate friendships. Friends have always been so especially important to me and I have so many special friends that I feel truly blessed and of course most of us are all in the same age bracket, so we never really feel old. I have friends that have been with me 50+ years, 40+ years and so on, it gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘old friends’. They have sustained me through many a dark time and have celebrated the good times with me too. Friends are so important in life, they can give you a balanced impartial view when it is needed, apart from continued love and support. With some we share the same loves, thinking Donny here, yes, I’m not the only one, over the years I have met some wonderful people through this obsession! But others have just been there forever and for that I’m grateful. Thanks to some of my wonderful friends I have already had a birthday cake and a couple of birthday meals in the UK, following all the strict guidelines of course, where there’s a will…... I returned to Malta with a case full of birthday presents, how lucky am I? I have always loved the saying ‘Friends are the family we choose for ourselves’ and it is very appropriate, for me at least.

One of my friends is exceptionally good at sensing energies, she can tell straight away if someone likes her or not. She knows how I feel without me saying a word, sometimes saying ‘come on you’re tired, let’s go!’ and knowing when she meets me if something is wrong, even if I am putting on a smiley face, she really is amazing. I wish I had that gift, but I CAN feel the world energies shifting and things beginning to turn around, can anyone else feel it? I am filled with optimism, strange really since Malta has higher COVID-19 rates now than in March, but with the vaccine on the horizon and many other major world changes in the pipeline I feel as though we are beginning to see a breakthrough at last. Of course, we must all still take responsibility for ourselves, protect our loved ones and of course our frontline workers. It’s a balance isn’t it and we have been well and truly tested this year. Friendships have been more important at this time than ever, checking in with each other, a heartfelt message, card, or gift, unable to meet as normal and hug but able to keep our spirits lifted in other ways. Thank God for FaceTime!! I must also thank another friend who asked, ‘aren’t we due another blog soon?’ Thank you for keeping me on track, it is a little late, however better late than never.

I don’t think that it is coincidence that we also had ‘World Kindness Day’ this week on the 13th and that it is also Diwali. Diwali is a festival of lights and symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”. The festival is widely associated with the goddess Lakshmi. Food for thought.

We also had some fantastic news this week that a close friend (family really) will be having a baby next year. My daughter’s friend also had a baby this week and we are reminded that life goes on and that birth is renewal, that the world keeps turning. "Each time a child is born, the world lights up with possibilities".

Next up my absolute favourite time of year, Christmas, after next weekend I’ll be in full Christmas mode, my cards are already ready! And, to celebrate my 60th and Christmas, this month I will be doing another giveaway, one entry for anyone subscribed and extra entries for anyone who shares this post.

'To My Friends thanks for being there for me, I'm eternally grateful for you'

Take care out there and as always thanks for reading!