Mumbai, Aug 23 : Veteran actress Saira Banu, who is celebrating her 81st birthday on Saturday, is looking back at her past birthday celebrations, and reflecting on the meaning of her special day.

On Saturday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a series of pictures from her past birthday celebrations. She also penned a long note in the caption, as she took a stroll down the memory lane with occasional pit stops.

She wrote, 'There are certain days in one's life that do not merely exist but rather stand as reflections of all that has been given to us. My birthday has always been such a day, not a moment for revelry alone, but it touches every thought and being that has shaped me into the person I am today. I think often of my grandmother, Shamshad Waheed Khan, whose strength and wisdom were the earliest pillars of my childhood; of my mother, Pari Chehra Naseem Banuji, whose grace and warmth lent colour to my world; and of my elder brother, Sultan, whose guidance has remained a steady hand through every season'.

She further mentioned that the love of her special ones in its constantness, is the true wealth that she has carried across years. Yet life, in its true sense, had one more extraordinary gift awaiting her.

She continued, 'What began as admiration for an artist admired from afar was, by the tender hand of destiny, transformed into a companionship most rare. The decision to make my home near his was at the time but a matter of circumstance; little did I suspect it to be providence, gently steering my heart toward him'.

'That a man so revered by the world could look upon me with kindness, and in time with love, remains the greatest wonder of my life. And so, as I arrive at another birthday, I do so with gratitude for the many kind wishes that reach me, for the memories that remain ever luminous, and for the presence of my beloved which, though unseen, resides in every corner of my heart. This day, therefore, is not merely a celebration of age, but of love that endures, of memories that soften the edges of time, and of a bond that remains my life's most cherished story', she added.

/IANS