What To Do When You're Alone on Your Birthday

This past Friday was my 25th birthday, and for the first time ever, I was alone on my birthday... or so I thought.

Since we had just returned from a gloriously long vacation in the United States, my friends and I all had to return to our respective Peace Corps sites a few days before my birthday.  Even though we made sure to celebrate early, I still felt a little weird knowing that I wouldn't be around the people I loved most on January 15. 

I spent Thanksgiving alone too, and had planned to cook myself a fabulous meal and savor the time to myself.  Unfortunately, that turned out to be a pretty sad and lonely day, and I wasn't about to have a repeat on my hands. 

So, I made cookies.

Armed with little packages of pink, freshly baked cookies and wearing a birthday cake printed skirt, I

walked around town and handed them out to all of the people I regularly talk to- the people at the development agencies, the mother who lives down the road and loves to text me, my fruit and veggie stand owners, and even the guy that sells clothes at a booth on the side of the road.

I thought that it wouldn't be a fun birthday if I wasn't with my best friends, but I severely discounted how much fun can come out of sharing cookies with people.  After all, who doesn't get excited when they get surprised with free dessert?

Some of the people sang to me, some offered birthday wishes, and one lady even prayed with me for my upcoming year.  Their kindness gave me the much needed reminder that sometimes you have to go the extra mile to enjoy the friendship that could be there waiting on you. 

So now, I just hope they'll bring me cookies on their birthdays too.