I think of life as a ride that propels us to live through the synopsis of time, that stargazes us through life, that guides us through our darkest moments, that comforts and confronts us. Striding through the odyssey of journey that mesmerises us in its finest beauty and haunts us with its darkness, that binds us through its mirth and enrages us with its enveloped rage. 

How ecstatic it is to be human, to hang with the thread of death that could engulf us at any given corner of humanness, to ride through each day with hope, a hope for a better tomorrow, a hope that maybe someday we will have everything we dream of, everything that makes us alive. To live with the basking truth of the radiant cacophonies of life and to dance with the wind, I beckon to be the one that glides through the ride of change, embracing every shedding piece of myself as the brink of transformation belies to be the gospel truth. Ageing is only in the mind, at least that's what I like to believe.

My sister told me that as I turned older, I gaped at her and looked at her furiously, admonishing her with furious eyes. I summoned her, telling her that 23 is that old. She chuckled as she completed her studies. I knew she was teasing me. But I get lost often in the contradictions of still being young and having time, and not having enough time to do all the things that I want to do, to embrace the sun, to taste the clouds and to swing on the moons, metaphorically at least. I pride myself on being a multi-passionate person, the beauty of being a jack of all trades and master of few is something that I have learnt to fall in love with. 

With me turning 23 tomorrow, here is what I learnt as I aged into the footsteps of tomorrow.

1. You run on your timeline, and comparison is truly the thief of joy, falling in love with living your life.
2. You don't need to feel a certain preordained way just because someone or something has to be perfect or turn out to be the best way possible; you are allowed and humane to feel the way you are naturally feeling.
3. Life becomes way easier when you just decide to live for yourself, where the clothes you want to wear, the food you want to eat, eat it with all heart, dance on the streets, talk to yourself, take pictures, do whatever you want and know that no one is as obsessed with you as, you are with yourself
4. Social media is a product of forgery and consumerism that will always make you feel bad about yourself if you keep looking at it for validation
5. There is so much more of life left, there are so many more sunsets to watch, so many cafes to visit, so many songs you would love, so many laughs you are yet to experience, and so many moments that will fill you with gratitude.
6. Love yourself enough to walk away from those who will not take a moment to put you down, to abandon you and to ruin your mental health.
7. Drown more of your essence in who you are at your core.
8. Be there for yourself first; the world can wait.
9. Take a new route, wear that new dress, overdress for a girlfriend dinner, talk to that person, approach the person you find interesting, life is too short not to try things that excite you or make you happy.
10. Don't believe everything you see or hear.
11. Whenever you feel sad or down, remember it is all a part of a big movie script called your life.
12. Admire your beauty without making others feel insecure on purpose.
13. Don't dim your light to make others feel comfortable.
14. If your god gives a ray of sunshine and hope, take it and run with it.
15. Know that with time, everything gets better; the sun shines even after the most gruesome thunderstorms.
16. The people who left your life left for a reason, let them go and forgive yourself for accepting things that you knew you didn't deserve.
17. You are a choice, not an option. Either they should give out as a priority, or leave your stride.
18. Know that being different is not a weakness but a superpower, fall in love with it, hone it and wear it like your crown.
19. Give it to the universe when it gets a little too heavy to carry by yourself.
20. Take it one step, one breath, one ounce at a time.
21. You are one thing away from a completely different life. One call, one job, one mindset shift, one conversation away from where you are meant to be.
22. There is magic in not giving up and believing in yourself.
23. Smile, smile because you are so beautiful and you deserve the world.

As I turn 23 today, I know how worthy I am of everything I have and how much of the entire world I deserve.

So here is to a happier, healthier, more divinely protected version of myself,

Happy Birthday, Hri.

To the beauty of newness, a new breath of existence I deem to be,

To be the star-gazed light, I delight to dive deeper into the age of 23.

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