Corona Diaries - Birthday
Last month, for my sister’s birthday, I organised a Zoom party with family and friends and dropped off baked goods. We were freshly into lockdown, everything about it was so new and I felt sad for my sister having to be isolated with just her cat and housemate for company. We all promised to take her out as soon as lockdown was over. As it turned out, plenty more people were available to Zoom than would have been able to make it to a physical party, she also received socially distanced appearances from my parents and myself bearing gifts and cake and had no reason to feel bad about sitting in the sunny garden guzzling champagne all day. Having been a bit glum about the day in advance, the following day she declared she’d had a lovely birthday.
Yesterday it was my turn to enter into a new year and, despite the kind messages from friends and family expressing what a shame they felt it was that I’d be celebrating in lockdown, I was excited about it for days in advance. While I was, of course, disappointed not to be celebrating in person with my family, my birthday was a source of great excitement for my husband and myself. We’ve always been quite big on celebrating birthdays and after weeks of days merging into one another and no end in sight, this one represented a break in routine, a day we could make different to the others and we were both greatly enthused by this opportunity.
In the run up he kept secretly hovering over his phone, making whispered calls and warning me off going anywhere near his computer. I’d honestly have been happy to simply use my birthday as an excuse to do no work, sit in the bath and read for hours but I was delighted and intrigued by the secretive and apparently lengthy preparations taking place.
Ultimately the day was wonderful. From waking up to a video he’d compiled of my nearest and dearest all wishing me happy birthday and doing ridiculous antics, to a home-cooked breakfast (then a break for us both to attend Zoom work meetings), to enjoying the ‘at home spa experience’ he’d created, taking part in planned family and friends video calls and ending with dinner ordered in from one of our favourite restaurants (currently offering home delivery) it was one of the most lovingly put together birthdays I’d experienced. Friends sent gifts, my parents sang Happy Birthday through their masks while standing in the street by my house, my sister baked cake and made a wonderful piece of art.
I know how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family and friends. I also recognise what a well-organised day this was, much thanks to my absolutely indefatigable husband (even while suffering with post-virus fatigue) and I was constantly amazed by what he pulled off. I know that other people having birthdays might be working through them or struggling with illness or money worries. But what I think is important right now is, whenever possible, to make the time to celebrate moments. Living as we mostly all are at the moment there’s stress and fear and monotony. If you have something to celebrate, whether an anniversary, a birthday, an engagement, work, study, good news, whatever it is, CELEBRATE IT! Pour a glass of fizz, watch a movie, cook a special meal, have a bath.
Even in writing this I’m cautious at the moment to advocate celebrating when there’s so much bad stuff happening and when everyone’s options are different. But that one day turning our bathroom in a ‘thermal spa’, catching up with people we hadn’t spoken to and allowing ourselves to have fun without feeling guilty kept us happy for more than one day. Between the run up, the day itself and the little buzz I still have today, the monotony has been well and truly broken.