Parties

​This 21st, I didn’t feel like celebrating my birthday; the rules were restricted on April, and it wouldn’t be that enjoyable to have people wearing masks and sitting six feet apart. So, we ended up having three parties instead: a celebration on Zoom with my side of the family (my two brothers and their families, and my mother) on the afternoon of the 21st; just the three of us on that evening; and with four friends on the deck on the 23rd.
They each brought a fruit salad made with fruits of the season, a yummy smoothie, and a cheesecake, and we chatted away until the sun set. Then, they sang Happy Birthday and I blew a candle that Eric was holding, we ate the cake, and it was time for me to go to bed. We sang two chants accompanied by a shruti box, and when we finished, Eric and I said our good-byes.
 I had three small parties instead of a big one, but I felt as happy and fulfilled and grateful as if I had had a big one. And I got simple presents from Eric and Nathan, Eric’s side of the family, and my friends, but they warmed my heart as much as if I’d gotten many elaborate ones.
I can’t put a name to it, but my whole body feels enveloped in a light, soft blanket that will stay there for me so I can bring it a little closer whenever I need to.