LEVEL 2, LEFT
EAST WING
41st birthday card, with coloured foil detail and a message written in black biro
Handmade by Bryce Connor, April 2020
On loan from the personal collection of Simon Edds (b. 1979)
Bryce works away at sea, usually one month on and one month off, which occasionally results in him missing out on special occasions, such as attending weddings, birthdays, concerts, theatre trips, Christmas, New Years’, etc…
For my 41st birthday, we were just shy of being one year into our relationship, and Bryce was away at sea again. On the morning of my birthday, I woke up to a WhatsApp message from him saying, “Wanted you to hear this first thing” He’d added a link to a track on Spotify called ‘Highway’ by an Australian artist named Golden Vessel, which is absolutely beautiful!!
Later, Bryce messaged to ask if I was “ready for a little surprise?” He then sent through four photos of a birthday card he’d made for me while at sea! Easter occurred around the same time, so Bryce had repurposed the coloured foil wrappers of the chocolate eggs he’d eaten to make the letters, numbers and the heart on the face and back of the card!!
With this foil being so flimsy and easy to tear, I still have no idea how he managed to cut everything so perfectly.
Back then, Sydney was in a strict lockdown, where people could only be outside if they were exercising, and only for an hour a day. At the time the photos came through, I was out walking with a friend, who noticed me releasing a very public and audible swoon upon seeing the handmade card. I replied with, “OMG! 😍😍 There’s too many police around to stop and read. Hang on.” I ducked off the path and found some bushes to hide in so I could focus on the words he’d written for me in the card. Cue more swooning.
The message reads:
“To my favourite person in the whole wide world! (it’s you). Happy Birthday! 😋 I wish I could be in those strong arms today more than ever to hold you and tell you just how much I love you plus how incredible you are! Because of you I'm a changed person for the better and different in the best way. I smile more, I laugh more and want to be a better person. So thank you for this.
You bring out the best in me and I'll always try to do the same. You have changed many people's lives for the better and even though I can't be there with you, me along with many loved ones across this globe share the fact that we are sending you all the love to you and celebrating your birth. Have the best day possible my darling man. You truly are the most beautiful, kind, daggy person I know and I'll be by your side no matter the weather, no matter the time. I love you soooooooo much. See you very soon! Your best bestie Bryce xx”
Later in the day, he had flowers delivered to me at home, and also ordered my favourite pizza to be delivered for dinner. I’d never even thought it would be possible to do this while working away at sea. Oh, and this was also the same day he told his then flatmate that we would be finding our own place and moving in together.
So, I keep this card, together with an envelope filled with an assortment of other cards and notes he’s made for me over the years, because I deeply appreciate the time, patience and effort he has put into them, all of which were inspired by love.