The heart remembers...

Two days ago was one of my best girl friends, L's birthday. She turned 36, but in my heart she is always the 25 year old girl I first met at work. We went to the same uni as undergraduates. I was a year ahead, in a different faculty, but I've seen her a few times hanging out with my fellow statemen. My impression of her then was, "this is one bold, intelligent lady". Always asking good questions during seminars, she did portray that impression.

Fate had it that we were to be colleagues at work, at a newly formed institution in my homeland. She being the foreigner, adapted to the local cultures very well. I got to know her better, and I began to see her much more than just the 'bold, intelligent lady' that was my first impression. She IS a beautiful lady, in and out. She fought for injustice at the office, no matter how that brought her the label 'rebellious'.

Then we went to do our MA in the same uni that we went to as undergraduates. We became housemates, and I saw more aspects of her that are indeed impressive. To top her other qualities, she is also extremely generous. While earning a meagre tutor's salary, she supported her brother who studied in a private college. To cut a long story short, we faced many moments together, both good and bad. She married her sweetheart, and had her first baby, J, who's very precious to us, her family and friends. Other friends and I shared the moments of her labour and her joy when J was born. In the last hours of pain, she was still at the computer getting an assignment done!

When we were done with the MA, we went back to work at the same institution, and she generously offered me a roof over my head. Since both our hubs were still finishing their studies, I gladly lived with her together with my 2-year old daughter and a live-in helper. When I gave birth to my second daughter without hubby by my side, she was there to give me the much needed moral support. The birth date of my second daughter coincidently is the same as her first son's, and so we have another reason to bond stronger.

Trials after trials came our way, and we strongly stood to face them together. With her I once shared this analogy:(there's a group of us at work who became really close after all the years). It was like we linked our hands to go up and down this unknown mountain, and whenever one of us fell over, the rest never let go. Instead we stuck together through thick and thin.

Then it was time for her to leave for her homeland. It was such a sad moment for me. I was losing a best friend, who's also a sister. It has been years now since she left, and I am now in another country. But indeed, the heart remembers...sometimes I regret not being there physically for her when she faced trials, like she was there for me when I thought there was no more hope in life. No matter what, L, I love you always. I pray for you when I pray, and I wish you happiness no matter where you are.