I love to celebrate life and I always try and celebrate my birthday. If you ask me, we don't celebrate life enough. And it's important that we learn to celebrate ourselves. I always organise a party for my girls as well. Although my eldest no longer wants a party for her birthday, instead she just wants to
hangout with friends, which I get, she is a teenager afterall.
For my birthday though, it's my choice and one way I like to celebrate, is to be with my friends and celebrate my friendship with them. This year, I had a lot going on, so I didn't really organise anything. I just went to my friends pop up breakfast cafe in the morning and that afternoon, there just so happened to be a free biodanza workshop, which a lot of my friends attended.
For me, the presence of my friends is the only present I want. This year, their presence helped to bring in a bit of income for my friends who run the cafe. Which to me is a wonderful way to help a community to continue to thrive, by keeping your money within it. An important lesson for my children as well. Why not gift others on our birthday.
My friends know me well and if they do gift me, it will be something from their garden. Which I am always happy to recieve. But really it is their presence that matters the most to me. Last year, I have a dual birthday celebration with a friend and we invited our friends to come and share food with us. Everyone brought a dish each, along with their own plate, cup and cutlery.
No plastic cutlery, plates or cups please. Asking others to bring their own, is quite the norm where I live, which is one reason why I like living there.It's important to me, that their is little to no waste.
The land, was decorated with cloth bunting that both my friend and I already had. Some had been made by my girls. All of which have been used for quite a few celebrations and will continue to be used for many more. All the material we used was recycled. As well as looking good, they are a lot of fun to make.
The two large hangings, that are hung off the front of my truck, were made by my friend for a Solstice festival a few years back. In the picture up above, I am clutching a book, which was gifted to me. Even though I requested no gifts. But it is second hand book, none other than Paul Stamets 'Growing Gormet and Medicinal Mushrooms'. The funny thing is, I had tried to order this book (second hand) and couldn't find a copy, now I know why, cos it qas already on its way to me.
At the end if the day, you don't need much to celebrate life. To have a good time. We certainly don't need flashy things. For me it's all about the people and the experiences. And my life is abundant in both. Although I live a Minimalist life, it really doesn't feel like it, because my life is so full.
Full of amazing memories that I get to take away and keep with me, a heart overflowing with love and gratitude for those in my life and the life that I live.
