#feelingblessed

That hashtag is almost like a running joke between Mark, Kris and myself.

Whenever we get together in the common room of IH2, we talk about how #feelingblessed is probably one of the most overused terms on social media. More often than not, it's accompanied by a brag (or humble brag,) to show off a new item, a recent trip, or some form of advancement in life.

Needless to say, we're not huge fans of the term.

Just like I'm not a huge fan of birthdays. People who know me the best (hello family, hello Mark) know that I don't like making a big deal about the day I was born. If it's at all possible, I prefer to spend my birthday incognito, and just come out when it's all over.

But today, I'll make an exception - for both the hashtag and the birthday.

Because today - my birthday - is really a day full of blessings for me.

Why? Mainly because today marks another year in my so-called life. That means there was another year to be thankful for, and another year to look forward to.

Surprisingly, at the strike of midnight of November 6, the greetings slowly trickled in. Eventually, it poured, almost flooding my phone and inbox with well wishes and heartfelt greetings. 

From family members both near and far. From former colleagues to former students. From advertising friends to friends from the academe. From long-lost friends to long-standing loves. They were all represented and all shared their good wishes.

In fact, I think I spent 1/3rd of my day answering all the greetings and good wishes. It's a tiring but very uplifting feeling.

Then, to cap off the day, my family came together for dinner. As usual, it was an evening of good food and even better company. And it was one of those moments where my heart was swelling with joy as the people I'm blessed with were around me. (I missed my parents, Biboy, Liz, Jul, Carl, Miguel, Kurt, Kai and Noah, though.)

To cap off a sweet night, an even sweeter treat from my brother-in-law, Raymond. He really has an awesome sense of humour!

With a birthday like this, I really can't help but feel honestly, undeniably, unbelievably blessed.

#feelingblessed