Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday we celebrated my birthday (May 30th) here with family in South Africa. Back when we were first planning this trip, I knew I wanted to celebrate my birthday with my family here - that's why we did the trip in May! I started my day by waking up from a dream, and then writing down my intentions for the day:

My intentions on my power day. Let me endeavor to be conscious and non reactive. Give people space to be. Express compassion and feel love. Deep love. Sense my own depth, and not take myself too seriously. Always see the good in others, and strive to reveal that good.

I spent the morning writing emails to friends and family, and also playing around with my facebook profile. I also had a nice Skype with Michele (who is thoroughly enjoying having our dad there in BC).

In the afternoon I went with Mum, Auntie Sarojini and Uncle Raymond and Thanusha, and Auntie Joan, to the Sun Coast Casino. Auntie Saroj had baked me a lovely cake, and had brought a bottle of wine. We ate at Center Court, and I must say, for a buffet place, the food was remarkably good. I especially enjoyed all the Afrikaaner meat dishes, including various lamb ribs and pork, and their curries were good too... After, the cake was brought out with a sparkler on it. Here they sing happy birthday after you blow out the candles - a little different than what I am used to. I let the sparkler run out and cut the cake, and then we had to actually light the candles so that I could blow them out... in the end, I got a bunch of presents, including a wire basket, and Gandhi's autobiography. Thank you! You can see some pictures from the celebration here.

After, Thanusha and I went to see "Pirates of the Carribean." Visually, the movie was literally stunning, in that I felt stunned. I must say that as my interest in and commitment to non-violence deepens, I find I am getting less and less out of these kinds of movies. It was interesting to get reconnected with mainstream American culture, which seems more apocalyptic and violent than ever. Still, it was nice to see Kiera Knightly dashing all over in her bustier, and I did enjoy the more psychedelic moments in the movie. After the movie, Christine showed up briefly to wish me a happy birthday, and then we made our way home. We ended the day back here at the cottage, and I had a nice phone call with Sharmeen, who is back home in BC.

Our interview this morning has been canceled, due to poor health of our interviewee, which is too bad. Still, it's nice to have a bit of an extended break. We still have a lot to do, and less than a week left! I am looking forward to a bigger birthday party on Sunday, with Auntie Carol and her family, over at my cousin Josephine's place.