(The purpose of this blog/journal is for me to be able to process my own thoughts and document them, but to also allow my friends and family to follow me through my travels. It’s an interesting feeling being so disconnected from everyone so far away, and this is an easy way to feel like I am sharing my experiences with everyone all at once. While some posts will be copied from my personal journal, some of it may be edited. Some posts may simply be posts to communicate with friends and family. This is the first time I have shared such personal thoughts, but I thought doing so itself would be a fun, growing, experience. Anyway, here goes...)
This is the beginning of my journal that will document the next month that I can already sense will be life changing and have an incomparable impact on who I am, how I see the world, and how my decisions will be made in the coming years. I have an inclination that I will look back at this time of my life as a defining period, a cornerstone. I chose to begin my journal today because this inner feeling of great things happening has been solidified and reinforced by a day spent surrounded by those that I love; those that have been beside me along the way that has led me to this moment.
The date is Sunday, June 23rd, 12:31 AM and I have just
settled back into my apartment in New York City after an emotional ride in my Silver
Toyota Camry with the moon (Supermoon to be precise) roof down, windows down,
and fantastically soulful tunes way, way up.
My best friends, or extended family, Taryn and Mike, were of course in
the car ride back with me from Jersey (drunk, duh) because they didn’t want me to drive back to the
city by myself. When I arrived at my
parents’ house in Gillette for this “surprise” party, turned not so surprise
party, I was greeted by a room in which the only word that could come to mind
after spending 1 minute in that room, is loving. My parents had just finished hosting my Dad’s
cousins, my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Bob, Uncle Greg and his girlfriend Bing, for a
family gathering that I can only imagine lasted until at least 4 A.M. and they
had stuck around to see me before they went on their way. It was great being in the presence of such
genuinely warm, loving, family whom I remember from when I was a young
boy. I remember as a young kid following
my cousins around at the Chu-Lee reunions at my Pau Pau (Chinese for
grandmother) and Goong Goong’s (Chinese for grandfather) house in Flemington,
NJ. The warm, summer weather was the
same today as it was years ago, and the feeling of great laughter and
connections with family was the same, but the times have changed.
While change sometimes carry with it a negative connotation, at
least for me because with change comes fear and uncertainty, this night was a
send off by my family for a change that I know will be only for the
better. I leave for South Africa in 3
days and I wanted to document a few things that I remember from today before I
embark on this journey:
1.
My mother said to me some important things: She
was proud of me for what I have accomplished, with the program I am about to
begin with NYU, because she said it would make her mom and dad so proud and
make all the sacrifices and hard times they endured worth it. This to me holds enormous significance as it
reminded me that I am not but one person, but I am a part of a larger unit; I was
reminded that I was, in a sense, a continuation of the lives of those before
me. I am a result of their hard work,
their tough times, their sacrifices.
This is a blessing that holds a responsibility. In a way, I am responsible for upholding the
dreams and hopes of the family before me.
Anything less than that would prove disappointing to those before me and
not make the sacrifices worth it. This
gave me great strength and purpose as I look forward to my journey to South
Africa.
---(edited)
Needless to say, I am beyond excited about this upcoming Trip to South Africa...
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