Turning 30

22 Jul, 2026

There is something to be said about adulthood and feeling the age that you actually are.

It was my 30th birthday last week. It’s something I have been keeping an eye on for a while, watching it slowly creep up on me like some sort of jungle cat. Turns out when it finally pounced, it was more of an easily distracted house cat. For something that has been hyped up to be this huge milestone, it really wasn’t much of anything.

Woo. Thirty. Anyway.

I’ve never really had my birthday celebrated by anyone. I gave up hoping for the parties and gifts at a very young age because it was never worth the disappointment I would inevitably feel. In all my years on this planet I can count a grand total of two birthday parties held in my honour, and I can’t even remember which birthdays they were. Perhaps I was 4, or maybe 5, and then again at 13 or so…

I feel like the fact I cannot remember speaks for itself.

Regardless, my partner insisted on planning something. It’s a big birthday, I should be celebrating! I deserve to be celebrated! Life is significantly different with her, so I gave her my blessing and she went about organizing a family barbeque for the weekend. The guest list was kept small at a grand total of 5 people, not including ourselves. I’m not one for fuss, and she didn’t want to overwhelm me. I appreciated it.

Unsurprisingly, the 3 guests from my side of the family flaked. My own mother showed up, but made it clear she had better things to be doing by staying on a phone call with her boyfriend for the majority of the time. I shrugged it off; the lack of interest wasn’t new to me, nor was the absence of the others despite RSVP. My partner, on the other hand? Pissed.

Slightly embarrassing when you have to pull your own mother aside and reprimand her for being rude to your guests during your own birthday.

Slightly more embarrassing when your workplace made more of a fuss about you than your whole family did.

I came into the office to my desk being smothered in confetti, a giant helium balloon, and several cards and bags of gifts. I even had a cake hand-made for me by one of my coworkers. The entire site came out to wish me Happy Birthday.

5 people from my family just about remembered to do the same.

As I’ve said, I’m used to it, but something specifically about turning 30 makes it sting in a different way. It’s been a week and I’m still a little jaded about it, though in the same breath I feel foolish for expecting anything at all. I am, unfortunately, frequently forgotten. I won’t be holding my breath for my 40th, that’s for sure.

One thing I know for certain is that I never expected to get here. Take that to mean what you will, I won’t elaborate, but here I am and I’m doing better than I could have ever dreamed. I’m in a loving, happy, and healthy relationship, living in a beautiful part of the country in a little cottage that we both love. I have a fairly decent job with a promotion in the works, and have dreams that I’m pursuing. I’m healthier, more confident, and finally in a place where I can work on myself without it feeling pointless. I’m here because of what I’ve done for myself, and no amount of absent family members can take my achievements away from me, so stuff ‘em. At least it makes catering for the wedding a lot cheaper.

Anyway, I still feel 25, so that’s the age I say I am until otherwise ☺️

Happy 25th Birthday, me. Thanks for sticking around.

#oracle