Friends

I am travelling to Penang tomorrow. It is for a friend's wedding cum reunion.

I have packed my bags and checked my ticket. More than one person has offered to pick me up when I get there, and people seem eager that everything should go smoothly. The apartments for outstation friends (and even Penang-based ones) are booked and sleeping arrangements are vaguely settled. The general idea is that married/attached people will stay exclusively together. Those who do not fit into the former category can fill up the other spaces. Who knows? This may cause some changing of categories.

Anyway, I am really glad everyone is excited and eager about the reunion and catching up to follow. Of course, we are happy for the bride and groom too (I have not met the guy yet!). Another getting hitched! We always need these wedding for us to meet up - a real reason for people to fly, drive or ride to one location, bunk together like the old days and do things together.

No... that is not so. Today I just had a reunion with my childhood friends. Nobody got married. It's just that it is Hari Raya and we're not working so we decided it's now or a very long time later. 10 of us got together for lunch and talked and laughed over various things - old and new. I feel the renewal of friendship with people who I have known for over 10 years. I hope this rejuvenation effect is not only temporary.

A toast to friendship.