My rock

My dearest family; my rock, my pillar of strength, my everything.

As I write this, they must have landed in KL already. True enough, I’ve just received an sms from mummy that they have arrived safe. That’s mummy for you - always thinking of others first, making sure we have nothing to worry about. She handed me my graduation present last night:

Mummy has given me a few good books over the years with special written notes inside. At different age and point in time, she would have different words of advice and encouragement for me, but the message she tries to get across is always the same. This time, on my graduation, the message was particularly heartfelt. Among the few sentences mummy wrote that touched my heart deep down were:

“You are meant for a great life, filled with True Wealth. Always do remember to keep a balance in everything you do - health, family, career, friends and spirit. First wealth is health. Without it everything is irrelevant.”

“Mummy wishes that each night: before you retire for the day, you can reflect on your day, smile at what you have accomplished; and each morning when you wake up, you are grateful for being alive, healthy, and full of zest to live another wonderful day.”

Love you, mummy, papa, mama, ken and shaun - for everything, and everything else. Papa for being the man of the family he is - always watching out for us, providing for us, giving us nothing but the best, instilling the value of money in us. Mama for being the caring, concerned grandmother she is - and though sometimes she is naggy, she only means well. Ken and shaun - for being the most patient brothers ever, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything else in the world.

Blood is truly thicker than water

Sydney for the 2nd time

I miss Sydney. Can’t believe it’s only been 4 days since I left this city.

It’s so different this time around- no hurricanes ribs, no opera house, no bondi beach. Instead I got to experience how my friends here go about in their daily lives. One thing I’ve realised- my friends here don’t live very near their universities, even the ‘nearest’ will have to take a bus ride of 15 mins to uni. I feel so pampered now, living right in front of uni.

Throughout my 10 days stay in Sydney, I was lucky enough to be chauffeured around. It feels surreal - each time I plan to take the public transport, a shining armour just comes and save me. I feel so blessed to have good friends like these. Rest assured that if they ever need any help from me - be it in Melbourne, or KL - I will be there for them.

TJ - for allowing me stay at your place for a week, for driving me to dinners with the Wesley gang, for being the usual you - teasing me, making fun of the silly me, making me so furious at you it’s funny. TJ brought me to the suburbs of Mosman (sort of like Melb's Chapel Street alike), to Manly beach for ribs at Ribs n Rumps (he claims it's better than hurricanes...), and for those little talks and chats.

Drew - for picking me up from the airport despite living an hour away, taking me to supper at chat thai the night I arrived Sydney, dinner at honey wok, driving me to bondi junction at night to catch a glimpse of winter festival. For taking the day off work and drive me all the way to blue mountains just because I really wanted to, for bringing me to this place where we can cook our own steak @ west ryde hotel,  for coming home early from work and bring me to paramatta (the place he works) westfield shopping mall.. for not going to work and instead work from home, so that you can bring me out for lunch. For driving us all the way down to have dinners with our highschool friends. For letting me stay at your awesome granny flat. For being so patient with me, and for accompanying me the night before I flew back to Melb despite having work the next day. For your warm hospitality, amazing company, and everything else. I can only say three words - you are awesome.

Su yi - one of my closest girlfriends in highschool. It's always so good to see her.  She has this warmth and genuity about her that I like so much, and I am glad she is still the same Su yi I know since years ago. We may have lost touch for a bit, but seeing her this time definitely reminded me of the friendship we have, and the good ol' times in highschool. Thank you for the mirror, marshmallows and chocolates dear. And for coming to dinners despite being so tired after work. For the pork wrap from Surry Hills. For wanting to bring me to breakfast. For being so accepting and kind. I love you, always.

Kb - for being the nice, gentleman guy he is. Always willing to plan, always willing to accomodate, always willing to organise dinners. All I needed was to ask. Thank you for everything - for taking me to the language centre to apply for IELTS, for taking me to the usual lunch place university students go to, for inviting me to watch Inception with the rest, for accompanying me to the Aroma festival, and for planning dinner at Madang, the korean place.

Yh - despite only having met you once (or twice hehe), thank you for accompanying drew and I to blue mountains, and for being so tactless in your teases mm haha. Also, for picking me up all the wayy from drew's, to the fish market, to broadway for movie, Makoto for Japanese dinner and passionflower for ice cream desserts. You've been such an amazing company, laughing at my lame jokes (giving me face, I know... lol), and for making me laugh at your even lamer jokes. Thanks for sending me to the airport too :)

M.tiah - for driving me, kb and rest of us around, to lunches, dinners, Usyd, aroma festival and for the times we shared in Sydney. Thank you so much :)

Sydney- July 2010, a trip unintended, a trip extended, a trip which turned out to be unexpectedly amazing.

Do you know what I realised after this trip?

Friends like these are so hard to find. They are as rare as treasures. Having met them, and being close to them is one of the most beautiful things that has happened in my life. It also made me realised that- yes we all have flaws, but if we choose to focus on the best side of everyone, we’d be amazed to find beauty in each and everyone of them. As Confucius says, ‘everything has beauty but not everyone sees it’.

*yes you can imagine me tearing a bit now, happy tears! :)