Day No. 164 - Birthday - Fortunately there is luck

Torgit: February 14 is a special date for many people because it's the day of lovers, Valentine's Day. For us, it's a special day for a completely different reason: it's Marc's birthday. 

For me, my birthday is and always has been something very special. It's the only day of the year when I don't have a guilty conscience. A guilty conscience for doing what I want to do and not what I should actually be doing. Because, as always with us self-employed people, the day was short and the to-do list was long. Just be. Without duties. Enjoying the day as Queen of the Day. Since I no longer celebrate my birthday, I've managed to do this much better. Without the stress of organizing the party. Just sit back and relax. 

That's why, in the run-up to Marc's birthday, I thought about how I could make his birthday nice. A special present, cake and candles. I wanted to make him happy. To see him happy. With shining eyes. It's the first birthday on our trip. How do you celebrate a birthday on the road? And of course the question of all questions: What do I give as a present? How do I make the cake? I don't have an oven. I'll find a cake to buy on the road. Just beforehand. So that it's fresh. 

 

And as is always the case, life is what happens while I'm making other plans. One day before Marc's birthday, we happen to find a beautiful spot by the sea and spontaneously decide to stay there. A present? Cake? Candles? And there it was, I was empty-handed, with no present, no cake and no candles. We hadn't even gone shopping yet. Thank goodness we still had enough water, but otherwise the fridge was pretty empty. Not to mention the goulash that Marc wanted for his birthday. And I had a guilty conscience. I felt bad. I had the feeling that I had failed.

As is always the case, I try to make the best of it. The weather gods help me. Marc's birthday starts with a dreamlike sunrise that couldn't have been more beautiful, straight out of a picture book. We lie cozy in the van and just enjoy. The sunrise, the sea, the silence and the vastness around us alone on the beach. We have fantastic weather with 20 degrees and sunshine. We even swim in the sea. 

I carry Marc on my hands on his day. I show him even more than usual how much I love him. What he means to me. And that I want to grow old with him. Stone old. Thank goodness we have a network on the beach so that congratulations from friends can reach him. And I think he had a wonderful birthday. Without any material gifts. But with lots of love. And I think for the first time in his life he had the time and the leisure to enjoy it. And we are sitting on the beach, enjoying the sunset and once again we realize what really counts in life. Expensive material gifts are definitely not one of them. 

Insight of the day: Less is more!