Happy Lockdown Birthdays

At 9.04 I received a message from Hannah Lopez (Murray), friend and presenter at Talk Radio. It read “Happy birthday–I can’t post on your wall for some reason? Have you changed your settings…?” There have been many a time I also tried to post on a friends page and couldn’t so on those occasions I also sent a private message to the person in question to wish them a happy day. However, it never occurred to me that perhaps they didn’t know people couldn’t openly congratulate them and I didn’t know to tell them or that it would even make a difference.

Thanks to Hannah I now know better. Enthused by the message I decided to see what the settings were; I didn’t think I had changed anything and wasn’t really sure where to look, but I thought I’d give it a go. It actually took me quite a while to work out; I think I finally found it was somewhere in profile settings and it had something to do with letting others post on our timeline, not a big deal once you know how. As soon as I changed the setting the messages started and they kept on coming! It really did help make the day extra special and to think that I’ve been missing out on all this excitement since 2012 when I opened the account!

It’s a silly thing perhaps but knowing that people take the time to wish us well is a very special thing and I want to savour and appreciate the moment. I am still floating on a cloud of happiness. I am so blessed to have received so much love, also via private messages, by WhatsApp, SMS, emails, Instagram and I even had a few actual phone calls! I remember years back my dear friend Ana Marie told me how when she lost her brother at an early age she had realised how lucky we are to be a year older each year, this is not something to complain about or dread; quite the contrary. With each year that passes remember her words and give thanks for simply being alive, an opportunity to live another day, another year.

May is always a big month for us: my grandmother’s birthday was on the 1st of May, exactly a week before my mum, her daughter, on the 8th May. My birthday is on the 6th of May and my daughter exactly one week after that. So happy, happy, happy birthday to my baby girl and a very merry “unbirthday” to everyone else.
Life is precious and certainly worth celebrating, every day.

Written by

Nicole King

One of Marbella's most glamorous residents, Nicole King offers a taste of the best of what's going on in the Costa del Sol.

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