Another year, another candle,
Yet somehow, nothing feels different.
And yet, everything does.

I miss my mom’s presence,
The chaos of a house filled with my siblings.
Today, there will be no cake to cut with them,
No nieces and nephews fighting for the first bite.

Today, I turned a year older.
But I don’t feel any different.
And yet, I do.

I feel wiser, maybe,
But also lost,
Like a child searching for their parent in a crowded store.

Another year of my life has passed.
It feels like I’ve done nothing,
And yet, I’ve done so much.

I’ve never cared much for birthdays;
They always felt like a formality,
A fleeting obligation.

But today, I miss my family.
And more than anything,
I wish they were here.