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seasonal variations (about friendship)
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seasonal variations (about friendship) |
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kaile
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146singapore 
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When I was a wide-eyed 13 year old, more than eager to take on the world and its challenges, my Geography teacher taught us a term which we could use to impress the examiners. "Seasonal variations," she announced, beaming after thirty-odd faces looked at her expectantly. "You all may use it to describe climate changes," she preached. When I was a skeptical 16 year old who was more engrossed in fulfilling my petty whims rather than engaging my world, my principal advised us to "treasure the friends you make now, since they will be the best friends you will ever make in your lifetime". I pretty much laughed her advice off because I had faith in my interpersonal skills and perhaps more so, I disliked being told what I should do. I wanted very much to tread my own paths, to even make my own mistakes and not just follow blindly what other people had recommended. I am turning 23 this year. I am also realising that the term "seasonal variations" is applicable to friendship too. I used to think that making friends is a fine art that few people master well. I can't be more wrong. Making friends is easy enough; it's the maintaining part that makes me stumble most of the time. Being a reasonably decent guy, I meet and make connections with people at every stage of my life, be it junior college, National Service, university, or even temporary working stints at restaurants. But friends come and go in my life, like footprints that are constantly being washed away by the tides. At one point, I will constantly go out with one group of people and waste our youths together, doing time-killer activities like shopping, watching movies, clubbing etc. Sometimes, we may even sit down and have lengthy chats about our pasts and mind-simulating, almost intellectual discussions about our plans for the future. Poooof! The next season comes, I somehow drift apart from this group of people and find myself with another group of aquaintances, in which I spend the rest of the season trying to understand better. And so the cycle continues. I think as you grow older, you live an increasingly hectic pace of life and hence, there simply isn't much time left to understand anyone anymore. But I may be making excuses for myself. Perhaps my interpersonal skills have drastically deteriorated, without me realising so. I really don't know. Sometimes, I suspect I am too weary to think properly. I guess I am really fortunate that in this age where change is the only constant, my secondary school pals have been a constant presence in my life. They have unconditionally stood by me all this while, watch me as I try to seek meaning in my life and have encouraged and supported me along the way. I am thankful for their companionship, for the simple fact that they are still around. But alas, I fear that we may be drifting apart, what with us taking such diverse paths and our increasingly by-stander status in one another's lives these days. One thing I have learnt in 2002 is that I have been treating my friends rather shabbily. I love to travel and often spend my holidays overseas, busily absorbing in the beautiful sights of another country. Little do I realise that the holidays may be just the period my friends need me most--as a listening ear when the exam results are out, as company when they want to take advantage of the year-end sales or watch the latest movies or simply to be there when they need someone to have wordless conversations with. Miss Bandara, I concede that you were right after all. I just hope that I am being paranoid and am just imagining things. But if I am not, I hope that it is still not too late to make amends. [This message has been edited by kaile (01-18-2003 12:47 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2003 heng kaile - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Larry C
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286United States |
kaile, This is a totally awesome piece. But you should probably be honest about your age as this is to much understanding for a 23 year old! *S* I love this style of writing. A keeper for me for sure. More please...  If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again. |
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Sunkissed Senior Member
since 2002-12-03
Posts 610 |
Thoroughly enjoyed this... nice thoughts. Sunkissed. |
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SPIRIT Senior Member
since 2002-12-29
Posts 1745California Desert |
Thoroughly enjoyable and fantastic read. Wish I had had such insight at 23, or any age, come to think of it. If we traveled backwards, from end to beginning, would the road, I wonder |
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kaile
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146singapore |
Hi all, just wanna thank you for finishing this read since reading this again, i think i was bordering on the melodramatic and over-generalizations... but well, this musing just poured out from me and i am nonetheless proud that i found the words to write such sentiments....  thanks for the comments..muchly appreciated...hopefully, this won't be my last posting in Prose.... |
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Larry C
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286United States |
kaile, So now we complimented too much because it was overstated? NOT  I stand by my response...Awesome!If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again. |
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