For each day that passes, thousands upon millions of people celebrate a birthday, an anniversary of their admittance into this life. On February 3, an infinite amount of households turned out their lights and presented a flaming cake to a special someone while singing that popular tune we memorized long ago. My birthday wishes go to three particular people today:

Happy Birthday, Shannon. I did not know you had a February 3 birthday until today, when I bumped into you outside the library. You were one of the first people I met at UF. You were a year older, a year wiser, and the people of Honors Ambassadors assigned you as my mentor. You arranged little socials with me and five of my fellow freshmen, where we were supposed to find a new friend and get better situated with life at college. In the end, I clicked with you the best, and you're the only one from that group I still see. You have a sophistication complemented with a youthful spunk that I admire. You're an all-around genuine girl, probably the main reason that I've never heard nor thought a bad thing about you.

Happy Birthday, Lisa. I have never actually met you in person, but I still feel a unique connection with you. You have a love for The Sopranos, and I first talked to you in a Sopranos chatroom. We had a lot of common interests, and to this day you are the only person I have ever befriended online. You are quite the strong girl, in the physical sense and in your general nature. There have been times when your powerful, determined attitude has rubbed me the wrong way, and we live polar opposite lifestyles, but you and I have talked about nearly everything, and through it all I know how wonderful you are and how successful you can become.

Happy Birthday, Jess. It's been a little over a year since I met you in New York's JFK International Airport. We were two of 39 college students on our way toward a life-changing experience in South Africa. Before our trip, I was worried that I would be the loner in the back corner of the bus, but immediately at the airport we developed our ten person click. You were my closest friend during the trip and the closest friend I still have from those two weeks last January. I hate the phone, yet we recently talked and confided for 3.5 hours, an attest to how comfortable I feel talking with you. You are definitely wilder than I am and could crack me out of my shell more often if you lived nearby. You are responsible for my fondness of Rose wine, and for that, your openness, and your energetic charm, I am forever indebted.

So this goes out to the three wonderful ladies in the back...

Happy Brithday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday, Shannon/ Lisa/ Jess.
Happy Birthday to you!

Now blow out your candles and make a wish...