Happy Birthday

Today is my birthday and I'm officially 36.

The staffs from my department organised a small do for me. They ordered pizzas and bought a cake. Even then, as always, I was not really feeling at ease with this birthday celebration thingy - big or small. May be because I came from a simple kampung family where no emphasis was made on birthdays.

When I was a kid, birthday passed by just like any other day. In fact, I always thought that I grew a year older on the first day of the year. You know, when you moved from Darjah Satu to Darjah Dua, Darjah Dua to Darjah Tiga, from primary to secondary school and so on.

You were proud when your father told his friend that you're getting 'bigger' (sudah besar) and that you're entering a new class next year or when you were given certain 'responsibilities' marking your coming of certain age. The responsibilities that were earlier only reserved for your elder siblings.

And I didn't remember any of my friends celebrating birthdays or sending birthday cards when I was in my former secondary school, that's a big no no. Tak Rock lah. We macho guys tak main birthday - birthday nih.

So here I am now at 7.15 ++ p.m, still in the office trying to reflect on this birthday thingy and a client just called asking for favour whether I could draft and send them an urgent document by tonite.

Meanwhile, it's still raining out there and I had just sent my car for wax and polish at the car care centre downstairs. Adusss!!!.