today...

...i am in my late 20's.

i know, shocking. and try as i may to will it not to happen, i am getting older. but turning 27 is not such a bad thing. well, sometimes it is if a lot of your friends are in their early 20's and the age thing comes up. everytime that happens, i don't know if i would be flattered that my younger friends are surprised that i am in fact, not in the same age as they are or if i should start saying that my age didn't go beyond 18.

whatever the case, i still have so many things to be thankful for... a wonderful job, good health, enough material things... but most especially really amazing people who have touched my life.

my family, for always being there for me. my parents, who have always been very supportive and loving. in their eyes, i am perfect. and nobody could love me as they have. my sisters, who have always been my confidants. they are the ones who i have pestered with nonsense stories but would always see the sense in them. they have always been the ones i can depend on to listen to the sad, happy and crazy stories of my life. my brother, loving as always and the one you can count on to be malambing. he sustains the looney side of me. my lovable nephew, who tires me so effortlessly but is so worth it.

my extended family, my brother-in-law, cousins, aunts, uncles, and even to my grandparents who are all with the Lord now, for keeping my sense of family intact. thank you for making me see how wonderful a family can be.

my college barkada, who i constantly keep in touch with only through emails and the occasional text messages and the far in between gimmicks. however seldom we may see each other, their love has remained constant and steadfast and after all that we have been through i know that neither time nor space can diminish the friendship that we have. love you, gels!

the tsongers, who i always pester when i need some company, need someone to talk to or to keep me awake during sleepless nights. thank you for keeping my spirits up, for all the tsismis and simply for being there when i need you. a lot of us may not be loyalty awardees, but all of us will always be loyal to the tsongers. to the wounds! :)

all my other friends... those i still have kept in touch with, those that i haven't, those that i may have forgotten or may have forgotten me. at one point in my life, you have shown me the meaning of friendship and for that, i will be forever grateful. if we have lost touch through the years, i hope one day our paths will cross again and we can rekindle the friendships we have shared.

the people that inspired me, for giving me moments i could blog and share with my friends, for giving me simple reasons to smile, for making me believe that dreams come true and for making me a better person, thank you.

and even strangers whose life threads have intertwined with mine. i believe that you are angels sent by God to give me a message, to uplift my spirit, to teach me life's lessons. all i know is that my life would have been different had you not been a part of it.

and to the Lord, for all the graces and blessings You so lovingly gave to me, thank you. thank you for letting me celebrate one more birthday and for letting me experience all the wonderful things that life has to offer.

my apologies if this sounded like an acceptance speech for an acting award. :)

i still have many wishes for my birthday but for now, it'll just stay between me and Him. i know He heard me. i just wish that He would also give me the patience to wait for them, the grace to be thankful if and when He grants them and the understanding that He knows what is best in times when He decides not to.

thank you, Lord, for making it indeed a happy birthday.