The Purple Tent

 259200 seconds = 4320 minutes = 72 hours = 3 days                                                       UNTIL … My birthday.

I’m not a huge birthday person, but I have to get something off my chest once and for all:

My life has been a huge disappointment. I have been let down every. single. year.  No, hear me out,  I’m not pointing fingers at any specific person, or even blaming anyone at all!

But, I have been waiting decades for A gift. Not just any gift, I mean, I get gifts every year, and I’m not being ungrateful, I promise! Maybe I should back up…

Long ago, in a  far away land called “California,” lived a tiny princess called Nicole. She was loved by many, and wanted for nothing, as her every wish was granted by all that would grace her path. Yet upon a celebration of her birth during her early childhood, a promise was made, but never came to fruition. This promise haunted her each year, and as she watched the years come and go, never was the promise kept. It was the one gift that her heart ached for. She wore this deep and true longing for the coveted item like a cloak of darkness, shadowing her from the ultimate happiness that she believed it would bring. Within this gift, she would at long last, feel complete. 

Okay, so, that might be a bit of a stretch, maybe.

This is a story that I tell people, and have told for years and years whenever anyone asks me when my birthday is.

One might approach me in idle conversation and say, “Hey Nicole! When is your birthday?”  A simple question, usually just small talk, I mean, I hardly ever expect for anyone to remember the details of my life EXCEPT for my birthday. BECAUSE of my answer: “A Purple Tent.”

Yep. That’s my birthday: A Purple Tent.

Usually, the person asking just stares at me with a blank look after my answer, and this is where I get to tell my story… the real one.

When I was younger, and I’m not even sure how old I was (3? 4? 5?), I remember Momma telling me that my birthday was coming up, and that I was going to have a party, a cake, and presents! Yay! She kept mentioning A Purple Tent though…. A Purple Tent this, and A Purple Tent that, and when A Purple Tent comes it’s party time… and so on. All I know is that this Purple Tent was filled with magical birthday goodness and I NEEDED IT!

So, birthday day comes, and I’m buzzing! We get ready, and head to this place nearby where, I assume, the Purple Tent is. We lived in California at the time, and the location of the party was somewhere in the redwoods. We had lots of picnics and gatherings out there, and I didn’t think much about it being a strange place to find A Purple Tent, because it WAS a campsite. There were always tents scattered about. As I’m looking around for my party, I realize that there is NO PURPLE TENT in sight (site? haha). And this, my friends, is where my heart breaks.

Without A Purple Tent there is no party. No party is no birthday. No birthday mean no cake, no friends, no presents, and worst of all. I CANNOT GET ANY OLDER.

This was my promise. I know (now) that is was simply miscommunication, but every year, I have high hopes of seeing a dome shaped dwelling in a vibrant purple shade resting on my lawn. AHHH One of these days…  my birthday, will be in tents (intense, see what I did there?).
Oh yeah, My birthday?

                    It’s April Tenth 😉

I just found out that there is an organization CALLED  Purple Tent.  How cool is that??? You can rent a campsite on private property! I might have to become a Host just to get this sweet tent!!