December...

It's post Christmas. For the many Christmases before this one, we've always made it a point to spend it here, in Alor Setar. But this year, we went down to KL, to celebrate it with family members.

So, together with our little faithful Barrels, we travelled south...

I know my girl had a whale of a time with her cousins. We actually spent very little time shopping. All supermarkets have the same feel after a while. We took Son to see some colleges, in preparation for the next phase of his life. We also made a trip to Seremban, a place where I did my teaching practical more than 20 years ago; where I stayed with Other Half's aunt. I will always remember the kindness and generosity shown by both Aunty and Uncle to me. They literally opened a new world to me. And I met up with an old friend/mentor. Years gone by and I marvel at how she is still keeping to her faith... despite the the many tough moments. It was good to catch up... over Seremban's famous gu-bak mee.

And we had a good get-together at Other Half's uncle's place during Christmas Eve. It's been over a year since father-in-law's passing. It was good to be able to meet up, with cousins and extended family members. Good food, great company. I don't know who was happier.... him or us. 

I realize that as I grow older, I can understand better why faces light up when such visits are made. It's such moments that warm the hearts. And sometimes too, a little thought crosses my mind too that perhaps things happen for a reason. If some of the things that happened this year did not happen, I doubt we'd have made this journey. I am glad for this trip because in many ways it's also a blessing for my children. Sometimes we caught up by the busyness of our lives. Sometimes the familiarity of the same activity holds us back.

KL remains jam packed with everything....  every where you go, you pay toll. The air is thick with man made toxins. And everywhere is far... time didn't seem to factor in much those days when KL was my temporary home.... but they seem to these days.

We made to a trip to Pavilion which was right in the city centre..... because Son wanted his Stickies. It was quite interesting to see the sweets being made. The shelves were almost empty when we got there. And they're not cheap. A small bottle of Stickies sweets cost around RM30. Yet the bottles just kept flying off the shelves. We also tried the food at the supposedly famous hawker centre in Pavillion. Verdict? Prices were steep. But the kids got to look at the Christmas deco lights. They were actually very nice.... 

Also, a trip back to the old church we used to attend; DUMC. They have moved a couple of times in the last 2 decades. I've  gone back a couple of times but this was my first time to their Dream Centre and it was impressive. Other Half said one can comfortably get lost there.... 8) Anyway, Christmas treat was watching Juwita Suwito and Jacyln Victor sing for us at the Dream Centre. Daniel Ho was the speaker..... he was as how I remembered him; he speaks faster now, though. 8) The sermon was simple but poignant.

And this December too, the things I cherish remain family and friends. I enjoyed a particular afternoon at hone with friends, conversations over things far and near to the heart. Though I tend to get a little more skeptical with age, I realize too that the things that are important don't change much. It's us, people who change things... for better or worse.

December.... the mark of another year, and beginning of another.