Good Afternoon

February 14. While many remember this day for its association with romance and love, effectively, the celebration of both in various manners, this aspect of the date does not appeal much to me. For one, it is my birthday, so I have always more strongly associated this date with my origins, my essence, and a point of renewal, so the aspect of romance has been at best secondary for me. And additionally, I am not really interested in developing a romantic life, not that I am opposed to it, I am simply not overly concerned with finding a partner, and never was.

Now, I am not trying to downplay the cultural significance of this day to make this about me, truthfully, for all here who are personally invested I hope you had a fulfilling Valentine's Day and for those who were not able to enjoy it how they hoped for, I offer you my sincere condolences. What I am trying to say here, however, talking from my perspective of seeing this day mostly for being the one I was born, is:

I am so, so glad to be here. Some may disagree, but I believe that coming into being and having the opportunity to experience life is a blessing in and of itself. To be able to not just witness but also build things with your own hands, there is an indescribable feeling to it and it is a good one. Of course, it is not as though what we live through is consistently positive, at times, we may tread through such a dense darkness that it seems no light can ever penetrate our lives again. But ultimately, it is us who decide to keep going in spite of this, I may sound generic here but It's true. Family, friends, even God may knock on your door to lift you up, but if you do not make an effort to stand up to your feet, brave the darkness, and fundamentally change how you perceive and can deal with your circumstances, nothing will ever change. During these dark times, our greatest enemies are, more often than not, ourselves.