Sunsets & Goodbyes

Last week was my final work trip to Jakarta and a good chance to say goodbye to the wonderful friendships I have made.

It was difficult and sad to know that as much as we tell each other to keep in touch, distance will sooner or later come in between. One week without contact turns into one month and before long, too much time has passed to pick up the phone or send a mail to say hello.

To my dearest friends, Erwin, Pohan, Anto - work was always so much easier when you guys were around with your funny emails, lame jokes and unwavering friendship.

Last evening, I went to church to pray for the door which is closing behind me and the new one opening ahead of me, and strangely bumped into the past again - a older couple I used to know from a long time back. I hesitated to say hi initially as memories came flooding back. The love I had loved, the tears I had cried and the heartache which I thought I would never recover from. Then the Boyfriend squeezed my hand and gave me a sweet tender smile and I realised that I have the present to live in and the future to look forward to.

So I said hi and it was a bittersweet moment cos they seemed happy that I stopped and yet for a moment there, we were all reminded of the pain we felt when the relationship ended. They asked what I was doing there and I told them I was with my boyfriend and some friends. Then she asked, "Are you happy now?" and I looked over at the Boyfriend surrounded by his brother and friends at the doorway, his head was bobbing up and down amidst the sea of people presumably looking for me.

"Yes I am," I said smiling. And they smiled back and she squeezed my hand and whispered, "Good for you."

I rejoined the Boyfriend and he asked, as he took my hand, "Who's that?" and I said with a small smile, "Just someone from a long time ago."

Sunsets and goodbyes. But tomorrow a new sun rises and a new day begins. That's the reason why we get out of bed in the morning.

Location: 14th floor of misery
Current Condition: nostalgic
Music: simon & garfunkle