Birthday Blues - Short Story

Birthday Blues is a short fictional, inspiration story that reflects on societal biases about aging and how they can effect us. It explores adopted  beliefs and how if left unchallenged, they can be harmful in preventing us from reaching our true creative potential.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

You are listening to Serena Grassa Podcast. Each short fictional story is written and creatively directed by Serena Grassa. If you like the podcast, please remember to follow and subscribe. The next story is called Birthday Blues.

SPEAKER_03 0:30

Why even celebrate it though? What is there to celebrate about the fact that I'm now old?

SPEAKER_02 0:36

Oh come on, Chelsea, don't be like that. Surely you have something to celebrate. Celebrate the fact that you have got me as a friend.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

You're just my friend because you are getting paid to work at this bar and talk to me.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

I work at this bar to make some money. Yeah. I won't be here forever, and I promise when I leave, I'll prove it to you. We will be friends and not because I'm getting paid. Then I'll have my new business launch, and I'll be able to live off the passive income. I'll be so rich that I can fly this around on a private jet.

SPEAKER_03 1:06

Oh, really? You do make me laugh. I guess you must be a friend then after all. Right, that's it for me. I'm gonna head home and wallow in my misery.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Chin up, my love. See you next time.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

The eleventh of the eleventh. Eleven, eleven. Why is it important? Chelsea, Chelsea.

SPEAKER_03 1:51

Well, it's my birthday.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Exactly. It's your birthday. Why have you forgotten how important your life is?

SPEAKER_03 2:00

Because I'm old now, I don't see the point. What's good about being old?

SPEAKER_01 2:06

You are not old. You are the same. Your soul has not changed. Time and aging is something that you created in your reality. It doesn't exist here. What do you see?

SPEAKER_03 2:22

It's me. It looks like I'm painting, I think. Creating something?

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Exactly. To be alive is to create. Your soul still wants to achieve. It wants to create, but you have stopped it with your belief that you are insignificant. You've been looking for evidence all the time in your reality, in society around you, that you are no longer valued. If you keep looking for this, you will keep finding it. If you realize it is just a belief you have taken on and decide to change it, you will no longer find this evidence, and you can give your soul freedom to create again. Freedom to create your reality there.

SPEAKER_03 3:14

What did I want to create though?

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Your soul knows the answer to that. They went to that life, the one you hold now, with a sort of uh blueprint. Stop trapping your soul, holding it back. Free it, let it create again. And Chelsea, you and your birthday are very significant. To hurt yourself and to hold yourself back is to hurt us all. We are all one. When you create, the masses create also. Go now and love and value your life again, and remember to never stop creating. Your soul will always be with you to co-create.

SPEAKER_04 4:35

Are you okay? If you are free today, how about we go out and I treat you to a nice slice of cake?

SPEAKER_03 4:45

Thank you, Jen. Okay, I accept your offer. Let's go out for some cake at 10. Hey, how have you been? It's so good to see you. Good. And you?

SPEAKER_04 5:11

I'm great. Really? I thought when your phone was off early last night that maybe you were feeling a little bit of birthday blues.

SPEAKER_03 5:20

Actually, I was a bit down yesterday, but last night I had the craziest dream. And you know what the funny thing is? No, tell me. I think the dream has actually snapped me out of my moping. It's really made me reflect. You know, I've been thinking, remember how they were looking for people to help revamp that unused building so it doesn't make the town look so ugly?

SPEAKER_04 5:46

Oh, yeah, that large building on the end of the street.

SPEAKER_03 5:50

How about we put our names forward for the project? I could paint murals. I've already got some cool ideas. Maybe you could manage the project. You're so good at organizing.

SPEAKER_04 6:03

That's an amazing idea, Chelsea. It's been so long since I've heard you talk about art. Yeah, I would love to get involved with you. Let me get started on my spreadsheet.

SPEAKER_03 6:15

You and your spreadsheets. See, you are just such a good organizer. I've got a name too that we should put forward for the project. Really? What is it?

SPEAKER_04 6:28

1111 revamp. Love it. Let's toast to that. And how about we get some of that delicious-looking chocolate cake they've got over there?

SPEAKER_03 6:37

Oh, yes, please. A big slice for me. I'm celebrating.

SPEAKER_04 6:41

Indeed. Happy birthday.