A birthday is a day that comes only once in a year. A day that comes around to remind you of the reason you were born.
So that to most people a birthday is a special occasion, one worth celebrating.
At least this is what Charmaine Ngatjiheue, a young journalist attached to The Namibian newspaper, says.
“Actually I’m on leave. I took leave from work in anticipation of my birthday, which was yesterday,” Charmaine says.
“Everything about my birthday was amazing yesterday. I have never been so excited about my birthday, until this year. My birthday was amazing in the sense that for the first time in my life things are going okay in terms of my career, my family and my daughter. So I’m so excited to be celebrating my 29th birthday. Ja.”
Charmaine says she spent the day at home with her family, except for her daughter who is with her dad in Rundu. “But my best friend took me out.”
She says she took leave from work last Friday so that she would use the days around her birthday to focus on some of her plans. “Sometimes you do need to prioritize yourself, take time off and you know, do your thing.”
Charmaine, who is the secretary of information for the Namibia Media Professionals Union (Nampu) says she will be using some of the days left on her leave to do some union work.
Her message to the youth is: “Just celebrate your life. Life is short, hey. One minute you’re there, another minute you’re no longer there. So just celebrate, be joyful, travel if you can afford to do it, study, you know. We take life for granted, we take family for granted.
“I think we just need to live our lives and take time out for our families as well.”
In the photo: Charmaine Ngatjiheue as a young reporter several years ago. (Photo courtesy of The Villager newspaper)
