The journey started 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang and continued 4.5 billion years ago with the Solar system and the Earth.  39 years ago, I swam for my life, beating millions of other sperms to the race to the egg. 39 years after, the race continues. However, I am happy to even have the one in a billion chance to experience the wonder that is life.

I am also loving all the good wishes coming my way from family members, friends and fans.

Even Google took time to send me birthday greetings in the form of a lovely personalised doodle. Yeah, I know they probably do this for everyone signed on to their service but that is really a lovely gesture. Considering that I spend a lot of time online and use Google to seek the information I need to navigate my daily digital life, Google has become a part of my life journey and I appreciate waking up, going online and finding right on my screen the message “Happy Birthday Yemisi” with a lovely Google doodle of mouth-watering cakes and desserts. That is good customer service!

Talking about Customer service, Iceland supermarket sent me a notification that, as a bonus card member whose birthday is approaching, I could pick up any 89p dessert in any of its shops before August 17^th. However it came with a proviso, I have to buy something in their shop before i can claim my 89p birthday dessert. Well, that is not a gift. It is not a selfless service since it comes with strings attached. So I guess i won’t be claiming my dessert. Moreover, I could not be bothered to walk down to an Iceland shop to buy something i might not really need just so I could claim an 89p birthday dessert. Anyway, still a thoughtful gesture, but hopefully the customer service unit would improve on this. Without the proviso, i might have walked in to pick up my dessert and also pick up some other stuff. But the proviso was a turn off.

Special thanks goes to all my friends and fans on social media especially Facebook who sent me birthday wishes. I am especially grateful because there is a considerable drop in Birthday messages containing religious platitudes like “May God bless you”. That is really very considerate. Three years ago, I had to specifically write a post titled : Respect my Atheism; do not send me birthday greetings in the name of your skydaddy!,since then, the numbers of people sending me best wishes in the name of their Skydaddy has dwindled. Last year many took note of this, but this year the message seems to have really been passed across. It shows that people sending me birthday greetings actually paused to think about me and what I would appreciate. Thanks again for that very thoughtful, much appreciated consideration.

Below is a video I did in 2011 to celebrate my 36 years of existence. It is a selection of pictures from important events documenting my journey in life. I hope to update this video when i hit the big four zero.

The past three years have been a pretty difficult time in my life. I was forced to abandon a good career that I have invested passionately in, to start afresh in a foreign country. The journey has been difficult but i am grateful for the experiences and lessons along the way which i certainly wouldn’t have had if I was still cushioned in my comfortable job and life as a lawyer and trade unionist in Nigeria.

I have had to appreciate the full meaning of comradeship and mourn the loss of true comradeship. I have had to re-evaluate those I call comrades and also become aware of who my real friends are.  I have had difficult times with my family members but I have also come to appreciate that our differences does not necessarily mean we can’t get along. The fact that we are blood-related does not give anyone a permanent spot in my life.  Love, mutual respect and a caring heart are what eventually bind us together, not the blood ties.  I am grateful for the opportunity to grow closer to my mother and appreciate her in spite of our differences. Above all, I have learnt to appreciate my inner strength.

The constant joy in my life is my loving son who celebrated his 19th year birthday exactly a week ago. He brings so much happiness to my life. As an atheist, bisexual, single mother, I am happy to show him off to the whole world as an example of why we should never expect children of single parents or LGBTs to be write offs. I am simply proud of him.

I look forward to the journey ahead. I am glad I beat other 1 million+ sperms to the goal post. I am still running the winning race and hope there will come a time when we are all winners and put an end to the race to the goalpost. I look forward to:

1. A time when we all hold hands and help each other to the goalpost.
2. A world where we are all equal.
3. A world where class divide is a thing of the past.
4. A world where equal opportunities is the default and only setting.
5. A world where we all can reach our potentials.
6. A world devoid of sexism, racism, persecution of LGBTs and all forms of discrimination
7. A world where we don’t have to kiss asses to get our daily bread
8. A world where there is no rape apologists, God delusion, war, famine or suicide bombers.
9. A world where knowledge reigns supreme.
10. A humane world where love and consideration for all earthlings comes naturally.

Today, it might seems like a mirage, but the journey towards this vision has already started hundreds of years ago and it continues with me. It continues with you. Every voice against oppression, every step towards equality leads us to the vision of a better world.

Yes indeed, a better world is possible. All I need to do is play my part in bringing it a step closer and leave a better world for my son and the next generation.

BTW, its Holy Noodleness, The Flying Spaghetti Monster sent me its love and this yummy cake. I am forever grateful that FSM came to this world to boil for my sins. I will continue to sing its praises.

Happy Birthday to me!