It´s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

My high school friends and I had a Christmas party/reunion last night with our significant others, and it was a hoot. The food was great (Japanese), the drinks flowing (bubble tea, that is) and the company was excellent. It was both a relief and a wonder to know that good friends will always be happy to see you no matter how much time or distance has passed in between your last contact. I was touched to see everyone cooing over Sophie and it made me a little sad to think that I would only get to see sights like that few and far in between.

There were a lot of times during the night when I caught myself staring at each of my friends in turn, looking for similarities and differences, however subtle, in how I remember them from before. Did someone`s hair change? Did someone start dating someone new/ did someone bring their husbands/boyfriends that I have not seen in a while? Did any of us look older or not at all? I was glad to note that there were changes, but only for the better, and only in the right places. Everyone of us looked relaxed, happy and excited to be there, in the presence of good food and even better people with fun stories to tell.

Of course not all of the catch up stories were perfect, but we were all coping with life the best way we knew how. Some of us in the room were happily married moms, some in that magical place between single blessedness and marital bliss. I was happy to see that everyone was happy in spite of work woes and other daily irritations. One thing I love about this group of friends is the common ability to laugh at ourselves and be silly... mainly because we have a collectively wicked sense of humour, but at the same time, we are also so comfortable with each other that we know we will not be judged.

I have only good memories of my growing up years with SNB... the group meetings when we noticed someone was challenging one of our own, the solidarity we would have as one team when the going got personally tough for one of us, the events we would plan to go together that would resemble planning for a military operation and, most of all, the everyday classroom life that was made more interesting with all these personalities in each other´s way.

While I do not believe in regrets, I do hope to keep in better touch with these guys better in the future. When I hang out with them again, I realize just how much I missed:

- Fara´s infectious giggle
- Tani´s warm hugs
- Jac´s concern
- Abi´s wisdom
- Willa´s generosity
- Aileen´s spontaneity
- Muy´s serene grace
- Ann Dee´s charm (hoy, bayad)
- Jill´s pragmatism
- Te´s "game face"

Not a lot of people know the type of life I lead abroad, but it involved a lot of toughening up... seeing those who know me through and through has melted a way a bit of the exterior I´ve had to build up over the years. Now that I feel warm and cozy inside and out, it´s beginning to look a lot like (a true barkada) Christmas.

Naked

Naked baby, that is!

4 Wishes

"Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now..."
- Airplanes

I know it´s still a little early, but here are some of my Christmas wishes:

1. For those who need to a break, I wish they realize this need and act on it before it is too late and all the calming spots in the world become overcome with stressed out tourists. There is always time.

2. For those who have had their heart broken, I wish them strength and a fabulous single life to find themselves again and to get ready for the one they are really meant to be with. There is always love.

3. For those who think its too late to do something new with their lives, to see that as long as they can dream they can start to do. There is always now.

4. For those who have had the fight knocked out of them recently, to stay down until they catch their breath and no longer else the defeated position becomes too comfortable. There is always tomorrow.

Have a great countdown to Christmas guys!