Mum's office

I looked around the room, filled with twenty, thirty people all sitting at round tables, eating , laughing, chitchatting and enjoying one another's company. It's only been around ten hours since I arrived home, I could barely keep my lids open, and I kep on rubbing my eyes to stay awake. But it mum decided to throw a 'going away' dinner for her colleagues, and I wanted to be there.

She's not really going away, at least not yet. But since it's the end of the (lunar) year, and she wants to take a break till the summer to continue her treatment, it was a good occasion to get people together and thank them. Later, they would all come to visit mum's new apartment, for a house-warming. As Taiwanese tradition goes, it's auspicious to have lots of people gather around a new house to furnish the place with more "yang" ("good") energy. I don't think I have ever seen so many pairs of shoes huddled together, and it was overwhelming to be in the apartment with be surrounded by the noise of so many people chattering all at once.

They were a simple, and warm bunch of people. Mostly women, married with children, but some men too. I looked at their faces, and silently wanted to get up to thank them all for being so considerate and understanding of mum's situation, and being supportive and being there for her when I am not around. But of course I was too embarassed and shy to do so. I think I'll write a card instead... as it were, writing says more.

Seeing them, watching their laughter, their banter, their gossip, I think I understand now why mum enjoys work so much, and why she gets up every morning in a hurry to get to work. It gives her a sense of belonging, a place where she feels at ease and where she is surrounded by friends and company.