August 16th, 2008. She walks downstairs to find her favorite breakfast food sitting on the kitchen table: an oversized stack of chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries and fluffy whipped cream on top. Six candles are dangerously lit on the top of the pancakes, and time is limited as the whipped cream begins to melt. She was confused as to why no one was in the kitchen. Moments after, her family pops out of nowhere and screams, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” She was filled with joy as an overbearing smile appears across her face. She soon realized that this could be her favorite day of the week, month, or maybe even year.

   A big smile appears across her face as she cannot stop laughing. She loves this feeling, the feeling that life is not all bad. She is spending time with family, the ones she doesn’t get to see very often. She is fake laughing at all the dad jokes. This is where she finally realized that she is happy with life, and with the people in it. After all of the bad days.School stress, feeling not enough. It only took one birthday party to figure it all out. She is happy. She is loved. She is worthy. 

   She had thick, dark brown hair with ivory pale skin and just a touch of freckles. She had straight-cut bangs and hair that sat just shy of her shoulders. She had dark green eyes and overgrown black eyebrows. She was very quiet and contained on the outside, but oh boy was she like a different person when she gets excited. Her name is Natalie, and this is the story of one of her greatest memories. 

   After scrambling up my delicious breakfast, I flew out the kitchen door, ran through my dirty garage, and into the backyard with the smell of freshly cut grass. The sun was shining as bright as a diamond, and it was a perfect temperature of about 75 degrees. Not too hot, not too cold. The newly built deck was covered in balloons and string lights. The fence was bombarded with colored garland from Dollar Tree. The largest pinata I’d ever seen was hanging from the blue swing set. Large tables were set up filled with loads of food and treats, all for me, of course. I had the best-looking birthday party in the whole neighborhood. 

   It was just the start of the party, the awkward phase. Extended family politely greet each other, of course using the “You look so grown-up” line to my brother and I. I try so hard to not stare at all the presents, wondering what they are, who got them, what is in the giant box. All I could picture was a brand new, shiny blue bicycle. It was the only gift I really wanted, one of the many things that would make me happy. 

   Moments later, I heard my mom yell out what I was waiting to hear, for what felt like an eternity. “Presents and cake time!” screamed my mom. I jumped up out of my chair and ran over to the sequence covered table. Even though I was filled with overwhelming joy, I promise I was still being thankful. But hey, I was six. I opened up the oversized box, and my heart melted. My eyes spring to the picture of the little girl with the bright blue bike. I screamed with joy and gave my parents a huge hug. I knew at that moment that I was gonna have the best year ever, and it was the best birthday ever. I continued with opening presents, and got a slice of cake bigger than my head. Fun games go by for a couple of hours, and the party sadly comes to an end. It was the best birthday party ever, and I never wanted the day to end. 

   Everyone should have a memory that brings happiness to them in their life. For me, it was the memory of my sixth birthday party. Many things bring me joy in my life. My family, my friends, my friends of family. Happiness makes me feel complete, without the feeling of being happy, life would be very sad, and have no point to it. Happiness is very important to me, and it should be to everyone else.