Me Time

Reading my favorite book for probably the twentieth time, stopping once in a while to think about it while also taking a sip of my huge cup of hot chocolate. Just the way I want to spend the night of my 28th birthday. Fun fact: Tonight also just happens to be New Year’s Eve. What a great birthday to have, I guess. The only problem is that it can get kind of loud, with all the parties and fireworks and stuff. And if there is one thing people know about me, it is that I absolutely adore and need my alone and quiet time. That is why on my birthday, I decided to just read and relax, take care of myself by doing what I like. No parties, no socializing. Just me and my thoughts. Since I don’t get anxious thoughts, I don’t feel that I can’t be alone with them. I feel very lucky for that. So many people fear being left alone with their own thoughts because of mental health issues. I personally love my own company, and the company of people like me, mostly deep thinkers and introverts.

And tonight, I feel perfectly happy and whole with my life.

I am thinking about how much I can relate to the main character in my book, when the one thing I didn’t expect would happen tonight, happens: The doorbell rings.

I feel dread and irritation pass over me. Who even dares to come to my door on this night when I just want to be by myself?

I stomp my way to the front door. As I unlock it, I think about who it might be, but no one comes to mind. I crack the door open, only to find that instead of a person, there is a small box on my front porch

Curiously, I pick it up. On top of the box, there is a note that wishes me a happy birthday and New Year. It feels nice to know that someone thought to send me something on my birthday, even though I have no idea who it actually is from.

I cautiously open the box, where I find another note, and underneath, what seems to be a timer, counting down. There are 5 minutes left on it. That makes me panic, because who knows what the timer could be for? I decide to read the note in order to gain some insight:

“Hey girl! It’s your besties, wanting to be there with you even when you don’t want to be with them. We understand that you want time to yourself on your special day, to treat yourself, and we are all for that. But we also want you to know that we are here for you. So this New Year’s Eve, we thought that you should count down to the New Year as we do the same from here at the party at Emma’s house. We hope that you are having the best birthday ever!”

This note and timer are the cherries on top for the recipe of my perfect birthday. My best friends who know my boundaries and respect them, sent me this, to remind me that I am not forgotten. They are the best! I couldn’t have wished for better friends.

I turn my attention back to the timer. There are 5 seconds left. So I start to count down out loud, thinking of my friends doing the same.

”Five!”

”Four!”

”Three!”

”Two!”

”One!”

”Zero!!!!”