For the first time since I became an "adult" (if anyone truly becomes one) I decorated the house for my own birthday. I cleaned, baked and decorated my cake, hung decorations, and welcomed loved ones. It's not the first time I've celebrated my birthday.  But it's been a few years since I truly celebrated. In my childhood, my mom was responsible for organizing bithday partys and inviting my friends.  Now, I can only imagine the weight and anxiety of throwing a party for a child, the responsibility of creating happy memories for a little one . In my pre-teen years, I had groups of friends who, for several years in a row, threw me "surprise" birthday parties.  My birthday coincides with a city festival where I live,  so in my independent teens, I started celebrating with friends, away from my family. For some reason, before the pandemic, I stopped liking the chaos of large crowds, wandering aimlessly, having to meet people in an overcrowded neighborhood, w...