So this morning I grabbed my phone and saw the calendar notification – it’s my cousin’s birthday today. Crap, didn’t plan anything. Wanted to text something nice but my brain went totally blank. “Happy birthday” felt so basic, you know? Like I say that to coworkers. But cousins? We grew up together stealing cookies from grandma’s kitchen!
First Attempt Disaster
Opened WhatsApp and just started typing whatever popped into my head:
- “Happy birthday to my favorite relative!” (Sounds like a bad Hallmark card)
- “Wish you the best day ever cousin!” (Grandma says this to everyone)
- “Love you cuz, party hard!” (We’re both in our 30s…nope)
Deleted everything. Felt like trying to jam puzzle pieces that don’t fit. Why is this harder than writing work emails?
Changed My Approach
Put down the phone and brewed coffee instead. Stared at the mug remembering when we were kids. That time we tried building a treehouse with duct tape and cardboard? Total disaster but we laughed for hours. That’s when it clicked.
Grabbed my worn-out journal. Scribbled random stuff:
- Shared memories
- Inside jokes from last Thanksgiving
- How she covered for me that time I crashed dad’s car
The words started flowing natural. Didn’t try to sound poetic. Didn’t Google “cute birthday quotes”. Just…us.
The Final Message
Sent this from my heart:
“Happy bday cuz! Still laugh about that duct tape treehouse disaster. Thanks for always having my back – from cookie heists to car crashes 🤣 Love you to bits! Drinks on me next weekend?”
Got an instant reply: “OMG THE TREEHOUSE! 😂 Best message today. Love you too disaster partner!”
Took exactly 3 minutes to write. Zero fancy words. Just real stuff. Funny how the simplest messages hit hardest when they come from shared history.
