journal/

on-going mostly unedited stream of thoughts

the story that binds us

Yesterday, two of my favorite people from Singapore dropped in to hang out with me separately, but due to an lucky overlap in schedules, three of us managed to spend some time together.

These are people I hardly see, once a year if I am lucky, twice if I am extremely fortunate. Throughout the years since I’ve known them, the number of times I’ve seen them barely exceeds the fingers on my hands. I tell them half-jokingly that we have only managed to see each other at least once a year precisely because we live in two ends of the world, if I had been in Singapore, the proximity would ironically allow our work to always be in precedence over spending time together.

It is the distance that makes every time we connect precious, because we know it is really a luxury to be in the same time and space together. People say it is always quality over quantity, I am mostly skeptical because I have seen relationships disintegrate over time, because time is indeed a factor in nurturing most connections. I think that is because communication and understanding between people often do not come naturally, so time is needed to facilitate the strength of a connection. Out of sight, out of mind.

But once every in a long while, the connection I make with someone defies all natural laws and physics, and right from the beginning there exists something that feels truly timeless. It does not matter how much time has passed in between or how often we meet, conversations are resumed where we left off, the sentiment is always carried over, the range of what we talk about never shy, apologetic or cautious.

In a world where there is so much noise and fear, it is rare to meet such people, and it seems to be a silent understanding among those of us – we are connected to an over-arching story that binds us all: a past we had to overcome in order to realize ourselves, and a hopeful future we not only desire to co-create, but a incessant obligation to be responsible towards.

We know the same thread runs through us, inadvertently laughing at each other’s morbid sense of humor, as well as keenly feeling the other’s pain. Their existence remind me that I am not alone in feeling this weight. The heaviness I feel can be very overwhelming, but like yesterday, the universe reminded me that I am connected to people who care as much, if not more.

That even if there is time and distance between us, I am still ultimately very blessed, to be bound to these people by the narrative we are all consciously choosing to be in.

Somewhere out there, tears are flowing for the same reasons, footsteps are taken towards a common destination, dreams are weaved together for a shared vision.

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