So, inspired by Miley Cyrus’ self-love anthem “I Can Buy Myself Flowers,” I decided to treat myself—not with flowers, but with a stunning pair of gold dangling earrings. I mean, why stop at flowers when you can sparkle, right? It was my little nod to independence, strength, and, let’s face it, some much-needed retail therapy. I clicked “buy” with the confidence of someone who was fully in control of their own destiny (and accessories).

Fast forward a few days: the package arrives. I tear into it, ready to bask in the glow of my well-deserved reward. But instead of glittering gold, what do I find? Absolutely nothing. An empty box. Not a single earring in sight. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Cue the record scratch.

What am I supposed to make of that? The universe clearly has jokes, and apparently, I’m the punchline. I had gone full Miley Cyrus, only to be left with an empty box, staring into the void of my  supposed self-love moment. There I was, ready to shower myself with bling, and instead, I was faced with an existential crisis: if I can’t even buy myself earrings, what can I buy myself?

Of course, I demanded an immediate refund (because, hello, boundaries). And to their credit, they refunded me without hesitation. But there’s something a bit anticlimactic about getting your money back instead of the fabulous gold earrings you were daydreaming about. It’s like getting a raincheck for a party you were never invited to. Sure, I got my refund, but where’s the sparkle? The dazzle? The self-love moment?

Is this the universe’s way of telling me that all I deserve these days is… an efficient refund process? Absolutely not! I refuse to accept that. This is just a minor setback in my journey of buying myself whatever makes me feel fabulous. Miley didn’t give up when things got tough, and neither will I. I will persist! I will persevere! And I  will get those gold earrings—one way or another.

Until then, I’m still humming “I can buy myself flowers” and reminding myself that, empty box or not, I can absolutely buy my own sparkle. The universe may have thrown me a curveball, but I’m ready to hit it right back. Watch this space: earrings, flowers, and maybe even a whole jewelry store… I’m just getting started.