Thoughts to keep in mind

Welcome to My Blog

Whether it's a family friend or colleague, there comes a time when people go their separate ways. Friends leave the country to go abroad, families tend to drift apart so long that there is no longer anything to talk about, and colleagues leave the company to seek better opportunities. Sorry for starting with a somber note, but please bear with me. Even if I do say so myself, I crave attention, care, and love, but I am an introvert—a person who keeps to himself. Every so often, my introverted nature becomes overwhelming, and my insecurities bubble up violently. This is when I want to say nothing to my parents, who have seen me at my most vulnerable, and instead vent my pain to the one already fed-up friend.

The Challenge of Connection

The said friend is my only support, but what happens when that friend leaves the country? You vent to your other patient friends. Luckily, I have great friends—those who were with me when I joined kindergarten and are still present as they look for their life partners.

Moments of Profound Connection

There are events where family and friends are most united. I hate to provide a grim example, but death brings about a mountain of support, where friends become family and colleagues become friends. I have witnessed several deaths—from my young 1.5-year-old cousin to my 87-year-old grandfather. Some losses were particularly painful, like my friend's father's passing and the deaths of two friends' grandfathers. Each of these moments reminds me how much I love them and how much I hate seeing them in pain.

Today's Trigger

Today, my motivation to write stems from the sudden demise of a beloved elder sister (chechi). Her death shocked our community. The overnight wails were painful, and the grim feeling of loss on a sunny day reminded me how life can be simultaneously painful and wondrous. She died from malaria, which was tragically complicated by a late diagnosis of blood cancer.