Woman Escapes Routine on Her Birthday
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
An Israeli woman details her annual birthday tradition of traveling abroad to escape her routine and the reminder of her unfulfilled fantasy of a large nuclear family. She is divorced with one daughter, with whom she has a close bond, but on her birthday, she feels the absence of a larger family unit. This year, she plans another trip, believing it's a way to avoid confronting her reality and to celebrate her existing family.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The author travels abroad annually on her birthday to escape routine and the reminder of her unfulfilled family fantasy.
- She is divorced with one daughter, with whom she shares a close "Gilmore Girls"-like bond.
- While content with her life most of the year, her birthday highlights the absence of a larger family unit.
- She plans to travel again this year, seeing it as a way to avoid confronting reality.
- The author focuses on the positive aspects of her life and family, despite past disappointments.
For years, the author has maintained a strict rule: if there's no pandemic, war, or airport closure, she travels abroad for her birthday. Even a two-day trip to a European city with a large Zara store suffices, as long as she wakes up in a hotel. While others might perceive this as living the good life, the reality is that she is escaping her routine. Her birthday is the one day she fears reality will intrude, reminding her that her long-held fantasy of a normative nuclear family with a husband and three children collapsed years ago.
She clarifies that she is at peace with her divorce and her current situation as a mother to one daughter. Although she originally envisioned three children, she has found advantages in having just one. She and her daughter often feel like "Gilmore Girls," albeit without the American accent, endless coffee, wealthy grandfathers, or charming suitors. They are best friends, sharing everything, and the author can dedicate undivided attention to her daughter, unlike in a larger family where attention might be divided.
While she cherishes her small family 364 days a year, her birthday is different. Unlike friends who describe boisterous mornings with children and partners, her birthday morning involves a hug and gift from her daughter before she leaves for school. The rest of the day, if she doesn't have a partner, she works. As evening approaches, she makes an effort to celebrate, often convincing friends to join her for sushi on a weekday, something they would typically decline due to work.
The author describes herself as optimistic, focusing on what she has rather than what she lacks. However, on her birthday, the absence of a family unit, people who are simply there without needing prior arrangement, is felt. This year, she has planned another escape, believing it's harder for reality to intrude when she's not home. She has learned to live with the family she has, rather than mourning the one she imagined. She feels it's permissible to take her small family on a trip and celebrate as if no one were missing, even suggesting they could visit a foreign diner, channeling the "Gilmore Girls" vibe.