I'm Twenty and I Know it!

The thing about birthdays is that they’re never the same. Sure, they may fall on the same date every year, but then something always changes. Some years, you don’t feel the birthday. Some years, you want the birthday to last forever. Me? I just want cake.

I’m writing this and bidding goodbye to my teens at the same time. It’s a funny feeling. On one hand, I’ve grown up enough to be able to drink with Dad and drive his car. On the other hand, I’m young enough (and fat enough) to down three plates of chicken tandoori in one sitting.  I’ve changed a lot in my teens. I’ve been happy, sad, high, angry and I’ve definitely been emo. In spite of all such changes in me, my family has stood by me. But see, that’s the thing about your folks. You can hate them, you can love them. But you can’t be anything without them.

My brother, Sagnik Mukherjee’s also grown up. He’s no longer a kid and that makes me so proud. My little brother, Sourja who had his birthday today is now 19 and the best thing that happened to me so far this year. Come to think of it, meeting my extended family rocked.

Let’s not forget my best friend, my dog Chuni, who sadly left us last year. He’s still in my corner though and goes woof woof now and again.

Lastly, one thing I’ve learnt in all my time here is it’s very important to keep it simple. You need to know what you want and you need to be happy.

I’m happy. I’m happy to have had some of the greatest friends I could ever want. I’m ahppy to have met so many stupid people in these twenty years. I’m happy that my love for music and writing has got me a blog in a corner of the internet. Most of all, I’m glad that tomorrow, all this will be brand new.

Here I am, this is me. And you can’t take that away from me see?

The Bilge Master

No actually...

Ashesh