The Best Birthday
More than Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving, more than April Fool’s, or the beginning of the summer, more than thousands of other holidays, shining with all their glory among the favourite days of the year; every child impatiently and excitedly expects the one special day to celebrate its first moments on planet Earth: its birthday. Birthday moments allow him or her to be the center of the universe. These are the moments during which the love and attention from a child’s family and friends can be enjoyed and turned into precious memories: memories that can be awakened with every glance at past photographs.
Nearly a decade ago, I knew a girl for whom the selection of a birthday cake, the preparation of the invitations and the blowing of the candles were distant dreams. With a dreadful sigh, she observed the stars on the night’s sky from the window of her room in the public orphanage. She always dreamt that one day, she too will have a family and feel warm embraces, soft words, care and protection. The six-year-old Valerie fell asleep each night wishing that the following day will be the one to during which she will leave the orphanage holding the hand of her parents who had abandoned her a few moments after her birth. Once the night filled with horrible nightmares would come to pass, she would wake up in the dawn, asking me: “Miss Carry, has anyone come to look for me?”
I felt my heart breaking into a million pieces each time I had to tell her with a comforting voice: “No, my dear Valerie… but don’t worry, I’m sure that the clock is ticking to announce the last hours before your parents’ arrival!”
Along with her, I suffered as well, along with her, I wished that she will find her family. Every day, I watched the tears in her eyes while she looked at other childen happily walking in the nearby park with their parents. I watched her tears whose flow she was too young and too weak to stop. The modest birthdays we organized for the orphans and the fun toys we bought for them,(as we tried to help the children forget their harsh destinies for at least an hour or two,) never managed to draw a smile from this child’s sad and serious face. The toys, cakes and cookies were considered worthless by Valerie. The only desire that occupied her thoughts each time she would see a falling star, find a four- leaf clover or blow the candles on her birthday cake was meeting her parents, or at least knowing who they are, where they are, the reasons for leaving her—questions whose answers remained a mystery for all of us.
I perfectly remember the year Valerie was supposed to turn seven years old. The day before her birthday, the little girl didn’t show any signs of excitement, joy or impatience normally felt by every child. Valerie was simply sitting quietly besides her favourite window, waiting for the first stars to start sprakling on the dark sky. I sat next to her, hoping to make her feel less lonely, when, all of a sudden, she hesitantly stated her one and only birthday wish: “I wish that all these stars begin to shine so bright, that they will light up every road that exists on this planet. That way, my mother will easily find me, and the only things I will wish for in the future will be our health and happiness. Is that too much to ask for Miss Carry?”
I was touched by these words: “No, my dear child, that’s not too much. Not at all.” I embraced little Valerie, promising that her wish will come true, although I had no idea how.
Even today, after more than ten years,when thinking about the following day, I am not able to explain the miracle that happened…Did the birthday wish really reach the distant stars or was it Valerie’s strong hope that brought the unfamiliar woman to the orphanage? Beautiful, but with eyes where one could recognize the traces of tears. Young, but with wrinkles that witnessed the hard times brought to her by life, she stood on the door asking for Valerie Davidson, born seven years ago, on the current date. Without a moment to waste, I asked her to come in and told one of the assistents to call my beloved girl.
Disappointed after hearing the answer to her regular morning question, Valerie was unwillingly coming down the stairs. But then, she reached the last step and raised her head to meet the eyes of the woman standing right next to me. When the two pairs of almost identical eyes met each other, as Valerie explained to me later on, her heart started beating faster, she felt the blood uncontrollably flowing in her body, spreading love and a form of unexplainable attachment toward that woman. And I almost thought that in one instant, she made an attempt to prove this to me, since for the first time in the seven years I had taken care of her, for the first time all over her pretty face I could see nothing but pure happiness!
Nearly shouting out the most delightgul of all words: “Mummy!” she ran toward a woman she was meeting for the first time in her life, hugged her with all the strength a seven-year-old can have, and remained in her embrace for quite a long time.
The young woman was carrying a large bag with her, and from it she took out seven nicely wrapped packages, containing gifts for each one of her daughter’s birthdays, gifts she had bought to her while working abroad after her husband, Valerie’s father, had left her. Along with the seven gifts, Valerie received seven cakes- one for each birthday her mother had missed, and generously shared them with the other children from the orphanage. Never before had I seen Valerie so cheerful, so carefree and content. She sang, danced and had fun with her peers, repeatedly turning to look at her mother and smile in a way only a child whose wish had come true can. When after many games were played, many pieces of cake eaten, seven candles blown, and after one loud “Happy Birthday Valerie” the celebration was over, she, holding her mother’s hand left the house in which she had spent the hardest seven years of her life. However, before leaving, my clever Valerie came to me and with honesty and love bursting from her eyes as blue as the summer sky told me: “I will never forget you Miss Carry!”
Eleven years later, watching Valerie while she is dancing with her friends, shyly directing her eyes toward the young boy she is fond of, but still enjoying the gifts and the cake just like a toddler, as a guest on her 18th birthday, I am completely convinced in these words.
My little Valerie is not little anymore. She has become a grown woman. But although her mother’s presence has washed away the last trace of the sad girl crying for a family, I know that once the guests leave, the music stops and the lights are turned off, Valerie will once again sit beside the window and “address” the stars. This time, however, talking on behalf of all children, from all over the world, so they too could realize that happiness is not remote and unreachable. On the contrary, it is always somewhere near us, waiting for our hope and sincere wishes to help us find it.
Nearly a decade ago, I knew a girl for whom the selection of a birthday cake, the preparation of the invitations and the blowing of the candles were distant dreams. With a dreadful sigh, she observed the stars on the night’s sky from the window of her room in the public orphanage. She always dreamt that one day, she too will have a family and feel warm embraces, soft words, care and protection. The six-year-old Valerie fell asleep each night wishing that the following day will be the one to during which she will leave the orphanage holding the hand of her parents who had abandoned her a few moments after her birth. Once the night filled with horrible nightmares would come to pass, she would wake up in the dawn, asking me: “Miss Carry, has anyone come to look for me?”
I felt my heart breaking into a million pieces each time I had to tell her with a comforting voice: “No, my dear Valerie… but don’t worry, I’m sure that the clock is ticking to announce the last hours before your parents’ arrival!”
Along with her, I suffered as well, along with her, I wished that she will find her family. Every day, I watched the tears in her eyes while she looked at other childen happily walking in the nearby park with their parents. I watched her tears whose flow she was too young and too weak to stop. The modest birthdays we organized for the orphans and the fun toys we bought for them,(as we tried to help the children forget their harsh destinies for at least an hour or two,) never managed to draw a smile from this child’s sad and serious face. The toys, cakes and cookies were considered worthless by Valerie. The only desire that occupied her thoughts each time she would see a falling star, find a four- leaf clover or blow the candles on her birthday cake was meeting her parents, or at least knowing who they are, where they are, the reasons for leaving her—questions whose answers remained a mystery for all of us.
I perfectly remember the year Valerie was supposed to turn seven years old. The day before her birthday, the little girl didn’t show any signs of excitement, joy or impatience normally felt by every child. Valerie was simply sitting quietly besides her favourite window, waiting for the first stars to start sprakling on the dark sky. I sat next to her, hoping to make her feel less lonely, when, all of a sudden, she hesitantly stated her one and only birthday wish: “I wish that all these stars begin to shine so bright, that they will light up every road that exists on this planet. That way, my mother will easily find me, and the only things I will wish for in the future will be our health and happiness. Is that too much to ask for Miss Carry?”
I was touched by these words: “No, my dear child, that’s not too much. Not at all.” I embraced little Valerie, promising that her wish will come true, although I had no idea how.
Even today, after more than ten years,when thinking about the following day, I am not able to explain the miracle that happened…Did the birthday wish really reach the distant stars or was it Valerie’s strong hope that brought the unfamiliar woman to the orphanage? Beautiful, but with eyes where one could recognize the traces of tears. Young, but with wrinkles that witnessed the hard times brought to her by life, she stood on the door asking for Valerie Davidson, born seven years ago, on the current date. Without a moment to waste, I asked her to come in and told one of the assistents to call my beloved girl.
Disappointed after hearing the answer to her regular morning question, Valerie was unwillingly coming down the stairs. But then, she reached the last step and raised her head to meet the eyes of the woman standing right next to me. When the two pairs of almost identical eyes met each other, as Valerie explained to me later on, her heart started beating faster, she felt the blood uncontrollably flowing in her body, spreading love and a form of unexplainable attachment toward that woman. And I almost thought that in one instant, she made an attempt to prove this to me, since for the first time in the seven years I had taken care of her, for the first time all over her pretty face I could see nothing but pure happiness!
Nearly shouting out the most delightgul of all words: “Mummy!” she ran toward a woman she was meeting for the first time in her life, hugged her with all the strength a seven-year-old can have, and remained in her embrace for quite a long time.
The young woman was carrying a large bag with her, and from it she took out seven nicely wrapped packages, containing gifts for each one of her daughter’s birthdays, gifts she had bought to her while working abroad after her husband, Valerie’s father, had left her. Along with the seven gifts, Valerie received seven cakes- one for each birthday her mother had missed, and generously shared them with the other children from the orphanage. Never before had I seen Valerie so cheerful, so carefree and content. She sang, danced and had fun with her peers, repeatedly turning to look at her mother and smile in a way only a child whose wish had come true can. When after many games were played, many pieces of cake eaten, seven candles blown, and after one loud “Happy Birthday Valerie” the celebration was over, she, holding her mother’s hand left the house in which she had spent the hardest seven years of her life. However, before leaving, my clever Valerie came to me and with honesty and love bursting from her eyes as blue as the summer sky told me: “I will never forget you Miss Carry!”
Eleven years later, watching Valerie while she is dancing with her friends, shyly directing her eyes toward the young boy she is fond of, but still enjoying the gifts and the cake just like a toddler, as a guest on her 18th birthday, I am completely convinced in these words.
My little Valerie is not little anymore. She has become a grown woman. But although her mother’s presence has washed away the last trace of the sad girl crying for a family, I know that once the guests leave, the music stops and the lights are turned off, Valerie will once again sit beside the window and “address” the stars. This time, however, talking on behalf of all children, from all over the world, so they too could realize that happiness is not remote and unreachable. On the contrary, it is always somewhere near us, waiting for our hope and sincere wishes to help us find it.
Sofija Paneva