A Chinese New Year Reunion

Just the week before our Perhentian trip I was back home in PeeDee for the Chinese New Year holidays.

Aside

I am a "Wooden Rabbit" and this is what my Chinese Zodiac has to say about me....

Rabbit people love to play under the moonlight. Quite fanciful, they respond to the power and beauty of nature and are always being pulled one way and the other to examine what they find. They are the luckiest of all twelve signs! But, it's more a result of "the harder I work, the luckier I get" than taking crazy chances. They are cautious, conservative, bright, and have a good head for business. Supremely pleasant to have around, these affectionate, naturally shy peacemakers seldom ever lose their temper. They sometimes appear to be singing the blues because of a natural but short-lived tendency towards despondency. Rabbits always inspire deep admiration and trust.

From the time Wood Rabbits were small children delighting in Story Time, Wood Rabbits have pursued knowledge. Charming conversationalists, they regale others with anecdotal glimpses into literature, history, and current events. They are lifelong members of the Legendary Rendezvous for People in the Arts and are frequenters of bookstores, libraries, and halls of academia. Their innate cunning makes them superb players not only in the game of chess but the game of life. No wrong moves allowed! Wood Rabbits are alert to new experiences, hang-loose philosophically, and very generous to friends and love ones. But, here's some good advice to Wood Rabbits everywhere! Find a good financial advisor. You might think it's hip to be The Big Spender, but, hey, look at it this way, what are you going to do on that rainy day? Hmmmmm? A little frugality will do you a world of good. Love Life for the Wood Rabbit is filled with rapturous sweetness, so incredibly generous in affection, it puts the partner's head in a spin. Fireplace cuddles are the way of life.

End of Aside.

Anyways, this Chinese New Year, I had my very own "reunion dinner" with two of my best friends from High School. We talked about the "Sampat Club" and caught up on gossip. We giggled a lot and laughed out loud even more.

Chian Chian and I had been friends for ages. I could not even remember when we actually met. It seemed as if we had been neighbours forever. Then in secondary school we ended up in the same class, a feat which continued for the next 5 years.

I suppose I was really spoilt by having such a good friend so early in life. I expected all my subsequent friends to be as true as she is, to be my moral compass and comfort as she was. Frequently, I was disappointed. She was a hard act to follow, after all.

Yu Yin joined us late but the assimilation was seamless. Always hilarious, upbeat and kind she lit up our stressful Form 5.

I guess we all grew apart. 10 years will do that. But for that one night I saw through the eyes of my beloved friends, what I used to be and what I had become.

And I resolved to live for myself and to be true to myself. To no more be buffetted against the winds of other people's opinions, agendas or insecurities.

So say we all.