Birthday celebration with words

This morning I got up at 7. The first thing that I did was I gladly thanked my God for this particular day and for having lived so long. After taking quick bath, I had my tea and breakfast. I put on my fresh gho and walked down office.  

Well, it’s beautiful sunny morning and the first fresh aroma of autumn was in the air. However, this walk was quite different that I felt myself smiling all along. As I walked, again, I contemplated on the day - today - the fourth of September.

It’s the day I was born in village of Chuzagang in Gelephu. Oh, I just can’t believe I’m 31 today and that I’ve already lived 30 plus years. Suddenly being 31 and how fast time flies has bothered me in a strange new way. It has kind of shaken me, feeling anxious than usual.

I was anxious because I’ve reached almost halfway to life; after all, it’s one life and there’s still so much to do and experience in life. Am I falling back in life? Have I experienced everything that life has to offer? Have I achieved enough? Did I live my life the way I always wanted? And where I’m heading to?

I asked these vast questions to myself as I walked to my office. Meanwhile, I watched around and saw some people walking in slow pace, others fast, and most were in hurry and driving fast. Immediately, I’ve lowered the pace of my walk; hopefully I could find answers. 

Sometimes, or most often, we need to take slow walk in life. For me, this slow walk helped me to enjoy the gift of a quiet time, to listen to the inklings of my heart and to realign my priorities.

Quite surprisingly, from last year I started to pull my beloved ones closer. I’ve always focused on my family and my friends, and my home. Also, I’ve equally emphasized on my blog and blogger friends, on my writing, and on the good books I read.

I know that I’m lagging behind in life in some aspects. I know that I haven’t yet experienced everything and I still have lots to do and achieve in life. But my beloved ones and this slowing down have helped me to put down all the questions and anxiousness buzzing in my head, and instead filled my life with more love and more intention.

Now, right now, as I sit in front of my computer and have just completed writing this post, I feel all blast and happy. By the way, I don’t celebrate my birthday with cake and party, but with words here on my blog.

And what a joy to participate in the Book Bucket Challenge on my birthday! I graciously thank Rupa Gurung, Dasho Lingi Jamtsho, Nawang Phuntsho, Sonam Tenzin and Langa Tenzin for nominating me in the challenge. So here’s a list 10 books that have hugely impacted my life and writing:

1. ‘Dear Seday’ - Ugyen Gyeltshen

2. ‘Then I saw her face’ – Nawang Phuntsho

3. ‘The Night Hunter’ – Lingi Jamtsho

4. ‘Angela’s Ashes’ – Frank McCourt

5. ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ – J D Salinger

6. ‘The Mill on the Floss’ – George Eliot

7. ‘The Secret’ and ‘The Power’ – Ronda Byrne

8. ‘Life of Pi’ – Yann Martel

9. ‘The Kite Runner’ – Khaled Hosseini

10. ‘Norwegian Wood’ – Haruki Murakami