I thought I should deviate a bit from the gloomy topics I have been touching on lately.
I got a phone call in the morning from a friend (or should I say a sister) who is now studying in Australia. It was a pleasant surprise to hear her voice after a long time. After I left home when I was 18, it was as if our little family was torn apart. Now, we only have rare occasions of communication and try to catch up on our changed lives as much as we could over the luxury of a long distance phone call that we can't always afford.
For convenience of narration and to protect their privacy, I shall call her R and her sister, D.
One day, long long ago when I used to be 7 years old, I came after school to find two dark girls of seemingly equal age standing outside my house. One of them was D. I was confused as to what these strangers were doing in my garden. After some time, I was informed by my mother that the two of them had come from a far away remote town to school in our town and they were here to stay with us to go to school. Of course, I didnt like it one bit at first. They were strange looking, strangely dressed, already teamed up and I was supposed to share my house and my life with them!
It didnt take long for us to bond because thats what children are good at. We were of the same age and in the same grade in school. But our personalities were very different. I was bold and stubborn. One of them was shrewd and adventurous. D was timid and emotional (even at that age, but we have to forgive her for she lost her father at a very young age). Before long, we earned the local nickname "The 3 Musketeers", for running around the housing scheme loudly as possible, exploring abandoned houses, stealing fruits from neighbours, riding bicycles at high speeds and just chattering loudly wherever we went. Many memorable events, involving adventure and growing up took place over the years and most of them are still so fresh in my mind. It is impossible to write all the stories of crazy cows, exotic hobbies, pranks, animal burials and similar things in one blog page. Some of us still carry the "war wounds" of our tiny battles. Within 2 years, one of them left to another country and only D stayed on with us. Soon, D's sister R, joined the club.
R was another personality altogether, she was all things angelic and responsible! We had successfuly managed to change D from her timid self to a mischievious one. But R was always our conscience, our shield from my strict mother, and a perfect element to balance the dynamics of this trio. We had another era of great memories totalling 11 years. Despite differences in race (mind you, we were of the opposite races that fuelled the civil war in our country at the time), we grew up sharing joy, enduring pain and caring long enough that our bonds ran deeper than blood.
So much has changed; our lives, our families, our surroundings, our selves. We are so much older now but I still miss them and everything that we once shared. It pains me to hear when they are passing difficult times in their own lives now. And I still do secretly wish that tables turn and we'll get to atleast live in the same country one day...
Love you guys, may you always be the best at what you do and find the best things in life to keep you happy and guide you...
And I like to end this night with this magical and moving musical piece (thanks NR):
"Downstream" from Braid Soundtrack
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