“I want a new phone.”
“I want a flat screen TV.”
“I want new name-brand clothes.”
“I want the newest Gucci purse.”
“I want the latest pair of J’s.”
“I want the new 2K video game.”
These are some of the common responses people typically hear when they ask someone what they want for their birthday. Don’t get me wrong, all of those items would be wonderful to have, but are they really that necessary? Is your life going to end if your TV doesn’t stretch out 60 inches wide? I’m afraid not, yet expensive material items are what people seem to crave the most nowadays.
I’m different.
This past week was my "birthweek" and, to be honest, there’s nothing that excites me more than birthdays, especially mine. They are by far my favorite holiday. Even though millions of people share the same day of birth, there just seems to be something special about having a day dedicated to celebrating another year of life. Life is worth celebrating, especially when you’re as blessed as I am. On April 12, 2016, I reached the monumental age of 21-years-old and I could not have been more pumped about it than I have been for years.
Like many other people, my life is filled with dozens of precious friends. I’m that girl that has friends from all over, of all ages, and that are all completely different. I have friends from a vast range of different “groups” of people, which is something I cherish. I love having a wide variety of people in my life; they each keep me grounded in their own special way and I love them all dearly. They also keep things very, very interesting.
As my birthday approached, all of my peers began asking me what I wanted, and my only response was, “All I want is for you to come to my party and to spend time with me.” To me, there is no material item that can beat spending quality time with someone you love. I’d take a day walking through the trails with my best friend over spending money on an activity or an item any day of the week. There’s nothing I value more than soulful chats and intellectual conversations.
Once April 12 finally arrived, I was reminded of how blessed I am. I don’t expect anything from anyone. I don’t assume that anyone is going to buy me a present and I don’t think about receiving gifts from people, but of course, my friends are awesome so they gave me the world anyways. With it being my 21st, I got multiple alcohol baskets, gift cards, and random items. I received the coolest mermaid tail shot glasses and other mermaid decor. (I fully believe in mermaids, by the way; I'm obsessed with them.) I also received one of the sweetest, most thoughtful gifts in the entire world, and it was definitely my favorite gift of all time: a handwritten letter from my best friend.
Handwritten letters are, by far, the most valuable things you could ever give or receive. When I walked into my room and saw it sitting on my TV stand, my heart instantly started pounding and my smile stretched further than the seas. My eyes filled with tears as I read it, and trust me, I’m someone who hardly ever sheds a tear no matter what the situation is. I’ve never cried at a wedding, a funeral, during a movie, or at anything of the sort, so the fact that I cried is huge for me. I had never received a handwritten letter before that day. I’m always the one to give them versus the one who gets them. In total, I’ve probably read it more than 112 times already and it’s something I will keep for the rest of my life.
Handwritten letters allow you to explain your feelings, thoughts, and emotions in a creative way. They allow you to express yourself for who you truly are and they let your true colors shine. They are so intimate, sincere, and irreplaceable. I cannot think of a better present than the gift of genuine words. And that, my dear friends, is a gift that you can’t put a price on.
On April 16, I threw the ultimate 21st birthday bash. I was shocked by the amount of people that showed up to help me celebrate and I still cannot believe how many friends I truly have. My party was filled with people I hold so close to my heart, along with some people that I've never met before. For awhile, all I did was stand in the corner and glance around the room just to witness how much love was in the air. All I wanted for my birthday was to spend time with my friends, which is exactly what I got. I've had a lot of incredible birthdays, but my 21st definitely takes first place. Everything was perfect and I owe it all to my friends and family.
At the end of the day, I wish people realized that you don't have to spend money on a gift for it to mean something. I wish people took the time to write out their feelings. I wish people took the time to let others know how they feel about them. I wish people thought it was valuable to open their hearts up and put it on paper. I wish people valued quality time with another person more than the latest trends in the media. The people in your life deserve to know how much you love and appreciate them, which costs $0. That letter, along with coming to my party, didn’t cost my best friends anything but time, and I am so blessed to know that they were willing to give me such a precious gift. To the world, time may seem like a dumb gift, but to me, it’s worth more than anything you can buy.
