The glass is half-empty...

I'd had a conversation with a friend the last time our birthdays came around (within days of each other), about how birthdays are stock-taking time of our lives. She was upset about not having done some things before a certain age, I was upset about others. We talked, ranted, consoled each other. And then I remember blogging about struggling between the terms 'mid-' and 'late-' twenties... and all that goes along with those labels.

Today is that friend's birthday, and I sent her an email to wish her. One of the last few posts on her blog shows that she is still a bit preoccupied with her annual stock-taking. So, in my email, I very wisely mentioned that she should take stock of all her accomplishments too... all that brought her here and all that she has - starting with a loyal, loving family, a good job, living a stone's throw away from one of the greatest cities on earth, etc. I ended with... "enjoy your day. You've earned it."

I'm sure I'll fail dismally short of the optimistic mark on my birthday... if anything, things get more complicated at this end. Someone, anyone, please remind me to practise what I preach!