An Ikan Bakar Story

There once lived a man and a woman who visited a big shopping centre in a big town. Both man and woman seldom visited big shopping centres, and they enjoyed themselves immensely. Time flew rapidly for them and soon it was time for lunch.

The Big Shopping Centre In The Big City

The Famous Ikan Bakar Store

In this particular shopping centre, there was a very famous stall with famous Portuguese Ikan Bakar. The woman has heard of this stall before and its famous meal has once graced her lips. Indeed the food here was heavenly and she had a strong longing for it. Indeed, the food from there was heavenly.

However, to obtain food from this stall was a challenge.  Packs of hungry man-wolves normally circle this stall, fighting for their own share of food. To be able to get the food requires great skill, cunning and patience.

Packs of hungry wolves... err... men and women surrounding their prey.

In spite of this, the desire to eat from this stall did not disappear and instead grew as they circled the food court looking for alternatives. All the other food looked bland and unappetizing, or so the woman thought. She became miserable the further they walked from the Ikan Bakar stall.

The man, who loved her looked at her and thought, “Sooner than let my lovely lady be miserable, I will bring her some of the ikan bakar myself, no matter what the cost." 

Brave knight sets out on his quest for  FOOOOOOD!

Hence, he steeled himself and joined the braying pack at the stall. It took all his wits, courage and patience but he persevered. Once or twice, he thought all might be lost due to some unscrupulous wolves, in the end though, Lady Luck smiled upon him.

The fruit of his labours - the tastiest lunch ever!

And he managed to procure the tastiest lunch for his lady love, won her unending appreciation and adoration and they all lived...

Trying not to lose the forest for the trees

Being in a long distance relationship harbours challenges of many sorts. Often a misspoken or a mistyped word can be very easily taken out of context, and depending on my state of mind at that moment, I could get very easily upset.

Of course, due to age and (perceived) maturity, I try not to let this small petty things matter and to resolve them as soon as possible. He also does his part by apologising often (although it's not always his fault) and by assuring me how much he loves me. Still, sometimes, although apologies were made and "I love yous" are said, I'd still go to bed unhappy, although it'll disappear very rapidly the next day, especially when accompanied by an uplifting text from him.

However, whenever he visits, any discontent will rapidly disappear and suddenly all things will seem very fine again. We'd laugh and giggle and joke and needle each other, like we never ever had any disagreements before. The euphoria will last throughout the visit, and we'll do all the stuff loving bfs and gfs do. However of course, once the visit ends, a great vast feeling of emptiness pervades and echoes of memories stir up feelings of melancholy, till the next visit of course.

Despite our occasional disagreements, I miss him a lot and I wish there is no distance. Of course, he'd counsel patience and for me to see the final picture and not get lost in today's struggles. Of which I shall attempt to take to heart. And of which, he obviously applies religiously, seeing that he is still putting up with me despite my occasional tantrums and weird idiosyncracies.

I Can't Hear Myself Over This Racket

The conversations in my head are becoming too loud. Opposing sides shouting themselves hoarse at each other, making it hard to focus on anything at hand.

I need to take a deep breath and to remember who I am.

Also to remember that there is always a Tanjung Rambutan for people like me. 

Reason, Season or Lifetime

Heh, the new blogger looks so weird and is so hard to navigate (I'm hoping it's because I'm new and not because I'm a technophobe) that it doesn't really encourage any blogging endeavours. But then again, that's just an excuse not to blog and just to slug around unproductively online as I await my regular chatting partner, heh. Oh well.

Came across this poem which is a rather interesting one:

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

I've an idealized view on all of my friendships as I've always wanted them to all be lifetime ones. Heck, when I was in uni, I used to brag that I may have only a few friends, but these few friends are enough for me, as they are not merely sunshine friends but friends who understand the inner me and who take me for who I am, warts and all. But now I've come to realize that maybe people have to move on, and maybe some of those who I've always considered to be lifetime friends may just be friends for a reason or a season. It's a hard lesson to accept though I hope I'm wrong. Heh.

I won't give up.

Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmm ...

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

- I won't give up, Jason Mraz.

I think this is a very beautiful song. With beautiful lyrics. It also illustrates a very different outlook on breakups, temporary or not. In this song, the writer is expressing how much he is willing to wait for her to find herself and (hopefully) find her way back to him. There are no admonishments, no blame. Only a wistful look at how good they were together, and how optimistic he is that they will get back together. A very hopeful song, in the wake of the humongous increases in divorces these days, heh.