26 February 2015

Saying goodbye


I picked up my bags and made my way to the high speed station. The visit home is ending soon.

The days here felt much longer than before, and there were moments I was agitated, even bored and hoping that I could go home soon. Even at the monastery in the mountains, I felt so impatient and disturbed, much more than before.

My brother and his family came to visit me two days ago, and together we journeyed to our parents' hometown to see relatives. It's been beautiful seeing my nephew and spending time with my immediate family.

I learned how smart and perceptive my nephew was. The other day from an auntie. Last week, when I went to visit my parents' resting place, I broke down and could not stop my tears. I didn't realise my nephew saw that. When the auntie asked what he did that day. "Did uncle take you out to play?" he said "shhhh, I'll tell you something. Uncle..." And he rubbed  his fists around his eyes, to simulate someone crying. That someone was me. It was some surprising, and heartwarming to hear that story recounted.

It really has been great spending some time with my nephew, and the past two days went by quicker. We went to the night market together, and he became so excited playing games from my childhood... Pinball machines, fishing for rubber duckies, bumper cars... Exciting games that fillled his eyes with joy, and at the end of which filled his hands with toys. I rode bumper cars with him, as he is still too little, and I sat behind him as I turned the steering wheel round and round. He wanted to play again and again, and in the end we stayed at the night market close to two hours just letting him play different games. And reliving childhood memories. My brother and his wife also smiling and laughing seeing how excited their son was. I bought him a nice school bag (a nice red "Cars" backpack....he's going to pre school later this year)

22 February 2015

Dream

A horrible dream that woke me up sweating and made my heart racing...

My brother was in it. We are orphaned children, our mother had just passed, and it was terribly sad as we were left to the evil ways of the world. We endured financial difficulties, we were subjected to attempted assaults and kidnaps. In the last scene, we wanted to enter a taxi, I got in, and the driver immediately locked the door and drove away, leaving my brother running after me trying to catch up. The driver was mean spirited and tried to violate me, I bit off a bit of his finger.... I saw myself crying from having been sexually touched... Brother tried all he could to rescue me. Our parents were gone, it was just us versus  the world... The dream  was depressingly filled with a sense of dread, fear and desperation.

I woke up and it was only 4am. Another 15 minutes or so till wake up time at the monastery. I heard the waterfall closing, heard the light chirping of birds.

I lay in bed and thought about the dream.

Were it only so... Were it only so...
I have not seen my brother and his family for over a week , even though this is the season of family reunions and togetherness.