This year Christmas was pleasant. Pleasant enough that it wasn’t too big a festive or too quiet an affair. Just right in between. My household had a simple family dinner, with mum’s signature dish and freshly baked blueberry muffins. It felt somewhat empty though, knowing that dad is away with grandma in the hospital. Well grandma was undergoing an operation after got attacked by stroke. Doctor reckoned she would be bedridden for about 3 to 6 months before she is able to mobile again. The devastated news was that grandma is almost going blind, though she still has some useful sights of fuzzy vision. Low vision they called. She is in the midst of recovering, at least I hope. News like this comes around and casts a cloud over my household especially on this festive season. As hopeful as I am always, this season had taught me to treasure my health and cherish my days.
Still as cliché as it sounds, I rejoice in the many blessings I received. I came home and saw a Christmas parcel resting in the living room; along with a card on my table. Later I received a surprise phone call from a good friend of mine. It is beautiful thing to know that I am loved by so many people, both far and near. The parcel was brimmed with Christmas goodies with my favourite Trader’s Joe cookies and chocolates, comfort food that I definitely missed having back in the States. Bestie Ling got me a framed card with a picture of both of us making silly faces. Just too cute! I agreed with her that it captures our innocence and childishness essence quite nicely! A postcard was found inside the card too, with a picture of a girl holding helium balloons strolling in the midst of honey brown meadow. A very pretty one I must say. Meanwhile with the limited time, I quickly whipped through several Christmas cards with some leftover papers, felt and doilies. Well the cards didn’t manage to send out in time. Still the process of crafting was delightful, and to have loved ones to spread some Christmas joy with definitely doubles up the happiness. True enough, this season taught me that it is utterly an amazing thing to love and to be loved. It is especially meaningful knowing that space and time differences have not departed the love away.
As this year winds down, I’m thinking about happiness, goodness, laughter and being blessed. I received a timely reminder from bestie Ling and indeed, this year definitely has marks off a supreme year- me getting a part-time job that pays decently to fund for my Aussie trip; me travelling around with Bon and Greg; me embarking on my Aussie trip; me finishing my thesis...it has been an eventful year with well, loads of travelling (no complain though)! Very soon, I will be closing this chapter of life and flipping into the unwritten adventures. I do feel somewhat sentimental about leaving university where I spent close to 4 years, which undoubtedly added the many fabrics of my life. But I am waiting for a closure, a proper closure before I call myself a graduate student. Meanwhile the road ahead seems unfamiliar but exciting. I choose to see beauty and strive for greatness. I choose to feel good to be lost, to be adventurous. To be adventurous is to explore always, and to find myself whole. To be adventurous is to have a story of my own.
Have a blessed and wonderful New Year ahead filled with wisdom, kindness, happiness and most importantly, love.
No comments:
Post a Comment