LOST (and found) F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

This month has been one of catching up with old friends.

Last week, I met up with Foo Chin (aka Ah-Fai) after a 5 year lapse since our previous meet-up. He has finally returned to Singapore (probably for good, this time) after spending the past 8 years or so in the US and in China.

Lunch today was with June Hwang, Chee Wan and Chee Meng. JH, we've last met up around a year plus ago, I think when Jaimie was like 4, 5 months old. CW and CM, wow....these two I have not met since during CW's wedding almost 5 years ago.

It's mostly inertia that prevented me from fulfilling the promise to "keep in touch!" that I'd too often utter mechanically while saying goodbyes, without really internalising the commitment to carry the deed through. I've just let myself be subconsciously convinced that I have been too tied up with the daily, routine occupations to put forth that little bit of effort to pick up the phone, or even to drop an email to say hi how have you been.

I'm glad I decided to make amendments this month, when I wrote to Ah-Fai, and arranged lunch with him.

I'm also glad JH sms'd me telling me about CW's return from his one-year sabatical in the US, and suggested a meet up.

Above all, I'm most glad, thankful and relieved to find that there are some things in my life that in spite of my utterly pathetic efforts (actually, the lack of) at maintenance, still managed to preserve themselves in pretty good states. With these friends, it was literally the case where a warm handshake and a quick smack on the back closed up, instantly, the years that we'd carelessly lost to apathy and inertia.

With us now connected on Facebook, there is really no excuse to put another half decade between us anymore.