This is 54 🎈

I am sitting down with a cup of coffee in hand after a long day of celebrating my 54th birthday, reflecting on a year that has gone by.

The last 365 days were a rainbow of experiences.

Joys.

Challenges.

Laughter.

Tears.

Friendship.

Conversations.

New beginnings.

Growth.

More becoming…

I love reflecting on the year that has passed and embracing the new one—remembering all the moments lived, while also making space for the experiences yet to come.

What a gift it is to welcome a brand new year.

What a gift it is to gain a new wrinkle.

I received so many birthday messages today—over 200. Phone calls, texts, WhatsApp, group messages, Facebook, Instagram—and through them all, I felt so loved and appreciated.

I don’t take anyone, or any sign of affection, for granted. I am blessed in so many ways.

The day started with breakfast at one of my favorite places. I had a mexicana skillet, a side of sourdough, and lots of coffee.

My friend of 30 years and I share (almost) the same birthday. Hers is just a couple of days before mine, and every year we celebrate together. I got her a gift, she got me a gift—and after breakfast, we decided to open them.

To our HUGE surprise, we realized we had gotten each other the exact same gift: the newly published book Joyful Anyway by the lovely Kate Bowler. Ugh—she’s so wise and honest about her emotions and life. I just love her wisdom and raw sincerity.

As we were finishing our birthday dessert, a couple stopped by our table on their way out and asked if we were related. She said, “You have the same smile!” It’s not blood—it’s love.

She asked what all the excitement about the gifts was and what book we were so thrilled about. She said she had never heard of Kate Bowler, but she’d looked her up. Being this in tune and synchronized on our birthday felt extra special.

After breakfast, I went home to rest a bit and talk to my mom. We spoke at least twice today.

When Stan and Bella got home from work, we went out to dinner at one of my favorite sushi bars—the one that happens to have the best martinis. YUM!!!

We had such a lovely time. Bella asked me who my hero was growing up, and which birthday from my childhood has stayed with me the most—and why. I loved both questions.

We had appetizers, plenty of sushi, yummy drinks, and great conversations. They even brought out a delicious, beautifully decorated dessert.

When we got home, Stan made me a cup of coffee, and I stepped outside for a few minutes, coffee in hand, in awe of the sky. A sky that, just minutes before, had witnessed the successful splashdown of the Artemis II crew off the coast of San Diego after a nine-day lunar flyby mission with four astronauts on board.

It felt extra special to join in that sense of wonder as I ended the day giving thanks for another year on this beautiful earth.

This afternoon, I was listening to a new song by the lovely and talented Kany García, “A la niña que fui” (To the Girl I Was). It’s a very intimate and emotional reflection where she speaks to her younger self—reconnecting with her past while looking ahead to what is to come.

It’s about healing your inner child, honoring your story, and embracing who you’ve become with kindness and grace.

So many beautiful moments filled this day.

Going to sleep with a grateful heart for all that has been—and a prayerful, hopeful heart for what is still to come.

Cheers to 54… and to the next 365 days of a new trip around the sun. ✨