A beautiful day is:
– Feeling awfully exhausted in the morning from the week’s events but feeling great that it’s Sunday. Sunday is church day.
– Finding another email in my inbox from my sister far away.
– Attending church in the morning, realising that the guest speaker is the 78-year old missionary lady who used to pastor my previous church, going up to say hi to her, and realising she not only remembers me, but also wearing the brooch I gave her just before she left. She smiles at me, tells me her husband remembers me, still, and gives me a book her daughter wrote about her mother’s time as a missionary in China. “They’re selling these books outside, but I want to give this to you.”
– Walking through a mall in the afternoon, brushing my bag against the shoulder of a lady my mother’s age, going back to apologise and realising she looks familiar- “Mrs C! You taught me in Primary 4! You look just the same!”
– Stopping to chat with her, watching her struggle to remember me… “I was in Miss K’s Primary 6 class, Head Prefect… remember?” before she finally erupts midway in our conversation, “Ah yes! I remember you! You were very chubby right? And not quite half as tall, no?”
– Exchanging contacts and receiving a text message from her hours later, “Hi Wai Jia, have you found what you wanted at Isetan (the department store)? I’ve reached home. Do you know I still keep the Chinese paper cut-out you gave me and this stone ornament you painted for me- your name was written at the back of it 🙂 “
– Realising that it’s been 11 years, and yet, we still remember each other. “Teachers made the biggest impact on my life,” I said.
– Finding a most gorgeous, branded silver dress going for $25 at an original price of $89, seeing that it fits perfectly well, feeling sexy in it, but feeling uncomfortable about it. Changing out, putting it back on the rack and realising why- that I’ve grown up, realise that one can have too many clothes, and no longer need a short, half-translucent, pretty thing to feel beautiful. Walking out, and feeling good, more whole, healthy.
– Having daddy pick me up in his car, and being dropped off at the beach.
– Lying on the sand, curled up, lying flat and then sprawling out lazily, watching the sky fade into twilight, and listening to the heartbeat of the waves.
– Watching couples, hand in hand, eating a Mac Donalds ice-cream cone, and knowing I’ll have one myself, someday, soon.
– Reaching home, and then finding an email:
– Coming to terms with missing people, and learning that it’s all right to.
– Crackers and cold milk.
A beautiful day.