The Number 32

I turned 32 last Monday – and since I had an amazing pre-birthday Vegas getaway the weekend before (because I had to get the “party” side outta the way), I was happy to spend a birthday at home for the first time in 9 YEARS. It was a chillaxed day of manicures, pedicures, and my favorite food… and I totally ditched out on work for the day. (#sorrynotsorry) Although a lot of people tend to overlook birthdays at this age, aside from the big milestones, my mom raised me to always celebrate life. With that in mind, I looked up the number 32 and any significance it had; and the symbolism behind the number itself is enough to get me excited for what this year potentially holds in store. At the very least, I’m still not at the point where I dread getting older – especially since I started my anti-wrinkle skincare regime when I was 18.

Before I go any further into my age 32 diatribe, I need to gush a bit about my birthday dinner. Just before the big day, I received a bottle of Chianti from one of my new favorite Italian wineries, Castello Di Albola. I’ve already tried their 2014 Chianti Classico and loved it, but this bottle of Gran Selezione (retail price $60) was fabulous. As much as I lean towards light and fruity white wines, I could totally appreciate the rich and aromatic flavor of this concoction, which is a complex mix of floral, spice, tobacco, and pepper. If you’re hosting a posh dinner party, this wine is an absolute must.

…And it paired perfectly with the Malamala household standard of birthday dinners: a surf and turf of crab legs and steaks. I usually ignore the “turf” part and attack the crab, but my mom cooked these New York strips to perfection, so I indulged in both.

No birthday is complete without cake – and since I’m an ice cream freak, my mom ordered mine from Cold Stone made with yellow cake, sweet cream ice cream, and raspberry filling. Apparently, it’s supposed to serve 14. I say they’re lying, because that baby was gone within three days.

So, aside from my “lucky numbers” being 14 and 16, I don’t do any of that numerology stuff. But out of sheer curiosity, I Googled 32 and came up with the following results:

• The creative expression of a personal sense freedom is the prominent resonance of the number 32.
• 32 also resonates with sensuality, optimism, and curiosity. Teamwork, companionship, and relationships are also in the mix.
• 32 is witty. It’s tolerant. It’s adventurous.
• For 32, the freedom to spontaneously pursue any idea on whim is important. The number is curious and interested in pretty much everything.
• It approaches life with an adventurous and creative point of view, valuing the ability to do what interests it to do.
• 32 values spontaneity and creativity more than practicality. It fully experiences what interests it at the moment by observing and feeling and interacting with full focus.

…Sounds more than good enough for me. In fact, I’ve pretty much tried to live according to these bullet points for as long as I can remember, so I’m more than comfortable with the number 32. Bottom line: Celebrate your birthdays and find a reason to be grateful for them. After all, getting older is so much better than the alternative.