I turned 40 on March 2, which was truly a life celebration – a beautiful milestone of wisdom, adventures, and accomplishments! I feel immersed in love, surrounded by peace, grounded in faith, and overwhelmed with overflowing gratitude. Looking back, I’m so grateful to have touched a few lives and to have a strong spirit that keeps me balanced and grounded.
My birthday fell on Ash Wednesday, so I decided to join Pope Francis’ call to fast and pray for the people of Ukraine. So, from 9 p.m. on March 1 to 9 p.m. on March 2, I fasted from food and social media. At 4 p.m. on March 2, my son and I went to church to attend the Ash Wednesday mass. It felt good because it cleansed both my body and my soul.
Though we may not be able to come together as we usually would, when we got home from church, we video-called our families in France and the Philippines to celebrate and chit-chat on my birthday. I was smitten when I heard my parents, siblings, and parents-in-law’s greetings and gifts for me. My parents told me that they cooked pansit, a classic Filipino noodle stir-fry, for me because it symbolizes long life, then shared it with some of our relatives. In the Philippines, a birthday celebration wouldn’t be complete without a pansit dish or spaghetti. Then, like a bolt from the blue, a gigantic bouquet of 40 fresh pink roses arrived on my doorstep from my little sister. These simple and sweet gestures from my families made me feel loved and cherished.
While waiting for the clock to strike 9 p.m. (the time when my fasting was over and I could eat), I decorated my birthday cake (which I baked early in the morning) with homemade chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries. I also made a simple dinner so that we could all dig in at home. When the clock struck 9, we began our meal with a classic champagne toast. And at exactly 11.35 p.m. (the same time when I was born), I blew the candle on my cake. I was thankful to my husband and my son for patiently waiting for me so that we could eat together. It was a simple celebration, but it was very meaningful.
On March 5, I had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday at the orphanage. I surprised the kids by bringing them sacks of rice, milk, and savory snacks. And the kids surprised me with a delicious homemade cake that they made by themselves while they were singing a Happy Birthday song. One of the kids also handed me a birthday gift she created herself — a lovely bird origami — and another child was making birthday wishes for me and thanking me for thinking about them. My heart was overflowing with joy and gratitude.
The next day, the blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in the gentle breeze. My family and I enjoyed a lovely sunset cocktail and dinner cruise aboard the Samsara Boat. We sailed away from the hustle and bustle of the city on the calm waters of the Mekong River and Tonle Sap Lake, with a stunning sunset and later lit buildings in the background, while enjoying a six-course meal and free-flowing drinks. The cruise was marvelous; we felt relaxed and pampered by nature, tranquility, and good food and drinks.
On Sunday evening, March 14, I got to celebrate with some of my friends at home over a simple, homemade six-course dinner. The meal began with a sparkling white wine toast. Then we enjoyed the food that I prepared myself—charcuterie, bruschetta, grapefruit salad, passion fruit with gin for refreshment (before the main course was served), moules marinières served with pasta, chicken with chili sauce served with rice and baked tomatoes, cheese board, chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, and chamomile tea. It was a laid-back and enjoyable evening filled with chit-chat and laughter.
And on the occasion of my 40th birthday, my husband and I had agreed to get me something stunning and sparkly that I could wear on a daily basis — a pair of 18-carat yellow gold round brilliant diamond drop earrings finely crafted for me by Kong Hong Jewelry—to remind me that I am loved and special and to wish me strength, beauty, good health, and a long life. We adore my new earrings because they are beautiful and classy without being showy. I am so grateful to my husband for this gorgeous gift. I am also thankful to my son for his heartfelt tribute to me, “40 Things About My Mom.” I’ve read it several times, and it always warms my heart.
I was taken aback by the sheer number of greetings, well-wishes, messages, and tributes. I genuinely enjoyed reading all of them. They each touched my heart and moved me to tears! I was also grateful to receive numerous gifts from students and friends. I am so blessed to have such precious family, friends, students, and colleagues. You all mean the world to me! Thank you all very much for making my special day that much more special! My love to you all!
As I get older, I am immensely grateful to God for the gift of this stunning life and the lovely people with whom I am able to share it, for the blessings he has bestowed on me, and for guiding me on this amazing journey of life. I pray that I can keep the strong rays of positivity, the hopes in my heart, the good fortune in life, the pink of health, the discipline to stay fit, a happy family life, the love of being a homemaker, the zeal to work extremely hard, the motivation for lifelong learning, the passion for helping others, and the desire to continue becoming a better version of myself with each passing day.
Little Lilly Meets the World 