It’s My Birthday Today And I’m Not Complaining. 🎉

Which is weird, if we're being honest.

Here’s the thing, I am a complainer.

I’ve always been and I’ve never thought it was a bad thing because sometimes, you just need to complain and whine. My mum would look at me and ask what I got out of complaining all the time but sometimes, complaining just makes you feel better. You know you have to eventually find solutions to your problems but why not whine about it first?

And so I’d complain.

On what were supposed to be happy days, I’d find something to complain about. During Eid parties, I’d complain about my outfit. During my graduation, I complained about my acne and the weather. On birthdays, I’d complain about the things I had not achieved at a certain age. And even on perfect days, I’d whine and pout.

But today, I’m not complaining. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a list of things I could complain about I just realised that in the grand scheme of things, those things don’t matter in the slightest.

For example, I don’t remember the bad outfits from those eid parties and I certainly don’t remember what the weather was like on my graduation.

I was out with my friend today and she randomly asked me what I was grateful for today.

I said life. 

I have a full life. I am healthy and somewhat happy. Yes, I am a stomach ache girlie and I sometimes things about dying but beyond that I am healthy and I can categorically say that I do not have a bad life. God has given me a life I am grateful to have and happy to see till the end. I have no desire to end my life due to misery or misfortune. Yes, a life of more comfort is desired but my life, as it is in this moment, is not a bad one and for that I am thankful.

My second answer was I have people who love me. I have people who genuinely care about me and they might only be a handful but they love me fiercely and I have never had to doubt their love for me.

My final answer to her was - I can afford to eat what I want to eat when I want it. This is kind of my biggest flex. To me, it is one of the biggest wins of my life. Let me explain. I was lucky enough to be born into a poor family so my taste buds are not exactly sophisticated. I cannot wake up and crave caviar but I can wake up and crave amala and I can afford to eat amala. Have I not won in life?

So I guess all this my story is just to say, things are not 100% for me right now but will things ever be 100%? Isn’t that why life is… well life? Am I not just supposed to turn what I have into 100%?

Anyway, today I choose happiness over despair and contentment over complaint.

A very happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, Hauwa. Continue to cause more havoc in this wicked world and thank you for sticking with me as I cause the havoc.

Now, feast your eyes on the birthday pictureessss.

giving soft girl in the garden.

This is the Iya Loja you cannot mess with

Her husband thinks he is hiding that girl so well but she’s lowkey taking over his company and planning to leave him with nothing.

That girl that’ll forever be your undoing.

This one is giving she’s grown. No one can tell her what to do.

Happy birthday to all of us.

I love you,

Hauwa.