Yes! Here we are, another birthday. I hit the big 2-4 this year (my Kobe year). In reflection, 23 and 2019 was a great year. I feel like I have learned a lot and developed as a person from this past year’s experiences. Notable memories include: playing in my last university rugby season, being the head coach of a hockey team that made the finals (after losing 17 straight games from the year before), attending a new school, and of course – visiting Japan. Japan was and still is a place that I’ve always wanted to visit. I remember being a little boy sitting on the couch with my parents as we watched different Hong Kong celebrities tour the cities and countryside of Japan and being there this summer really was a dream come true. It wasn’t all smooth though. It took me 2 hours to get out of the airport and my anxiety was erratic at that point. When I got out though and started walking to my hostel at 10 pm, I couldn’t believe that I was in Tokyo. That experience reminded me that sometimes hard work does equate to happiness or success. I did go to Japan alone though, which I’m not going to lie – made the trip feel sad at times, but that’s just more to improve on for next time!
Well anyways, I rarely ever celebrate my birthday and if I’m being honest, I forget it a lot – even on the day of. It’s usually not till I get my first text of the day that I remember “ah yes, I’m another year older”. But this year I have had many friends remind me throughout the week. It is nice to know that I have friends who look forward to my birthday even more so than me, it makes me realize that my place in the world is bigger than my perception. Hopefully one day these friends and I can go to Japan together – or someplace where the food is good, and the people are friendly. Wherever it is, I’m sure it’ll be lots of fun! Until then, I’m going to keep working hard, keep hoping for the best, and enjoy my time in this world.
Regardless, whether it is my birthday or not, I hope that your day goes smoothly and that all is well
