Another birthday, another rainy day. As the grey clouds fill the overcast sky I sit down on the couch. Staring out onto the rain covered cobble stones I bury my head into my hands and close my eyes. Today happens to be my birthday. While birthdays are usually days of great fun and excitement, the opposite usually occurs for me. As of late, it seems as if birthdays do no always rule in my favour; by this I mean that something always goes wrong. Call me paranoid,  but I can assure you that this birthday omen is 100% real. 

Let’s backtrack and begin with the morning of June 30th at 8:30 am. 

Waking up in a cold sweat I look over to find Americano fast asleep beside me. Stumbling to find my glasses, I find my frames and step out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom. Peering out the window I stare out at the clouded morning sky. “Quite dreary of a morning” I thought to myself as I walked towards the bathroom. While it was only 8:30, my body is not quite accustomed to waking up at these early morning hours. Tiptoeing back into my bedroom my phone lit up with the sound of:

“Three new messages”

Assuming these were just well wishes for my birthday, I quickly glanced at the first message. 

2 happy birthdays and a very long winded text message from my mother.

It was at 8:30 am that I was told the news that two members of my family had passed away.

Quickly consumed by overwhelming grief, I laid back on my bed and began to think. How alarming is it that in one swift moment, the fragility and unpredictability of life can take ownership. In just one evening, two lives could be taken away without any second guessing. 

The scent of a birthday often follows on the coattails of an individualized mind. While excitement is expected, we often forget that the world does not stop moving just because we do. Life continues, stock markets still rise than fall, the grass continues to grow, and life can still flash before your eyes.

As the clouded Tuesday began to roll on, another plight of bad news came my way. 

I began to think….Why is there so much pressure placed on a birthday that when things go awry we feel inconvenienced?

At this point in time I have aged to two decades and some odd days.

Now I must admit that I did feel rather bad for Nat & Americano as they spent the day working diligently in the attempt to make this birthday great. How were they to know that my birthdays are an omen for bad news? 

Besides “Celebrating” my birthday, it is quite evident that I had taken a long break from writing. With all that had occurred over this short month, I desperately was craving a moment of solace. 

It seems as if as the days continue on I would at least be smarter than the year before….that is not always the case. I find myself still stuck in that level of perseverance where I physically want to continue on, yet mentally cannot fathom it.

Two decades of life yet no common comprehension on how I was to make do with my current work and living situation. 

Despite all of the unfortunate mishaps, I can still classify this birthday as one of my best. What can I say? Regardless of what had happened, I do not think that anything can beat being surrounded by those who love you. This is a feeling that not even a glass of chardonnay can achieve.