At last, my long overdue post.
Christmas and New Year of 2007, it was my first time to spend the holidays away from home. For me, Christmas has always, and will always be my most favorite season of the year -- even more than my birthday, and even if it brings bitter-sweet memories on some people; And I could still remember how difficult it was for me, after 25 years, to hear Christmas carols and see Christmas trees in Dubai, without my family beside me.
I believed in Santa Claus when I was a kid. I could remember hanging my most favorite sock at one of the little plastic branches of our christmas tree, and would eagerly jump out of bed the next morning, finding different varieties of candies inside it!
They said that Christmas is for kids. Maybe because they have pure joy and peace, and they could give out the purest love. Look into a child's eyes and you'll see how beautifully made the world is.
Growing up, I learned the real meaning of Christmas. It is more than the socks on that Christmas tree, more than Santa Claus, more than the chocnuts and the candies and the barbie dolls. Christmas is the greatest service of God to mankind; and with that, Christmas should be the season to remind us how to be real servants; to really give without asking anything in return and to love with the purest of intention -- with or without your family beside you. Christmas is not my birthday; or anyone else's for that matter. Christmas is the time of our Savior's birth -- and it is a timeless fact. A fact that should be enough to make anyone of us feel blessed.
Christmas of 2009, I knew that this would be my second Christmas away from home, and so I found a way to make it special. I went to Jakarta and spend it with Martin and Ron. There was one time that one muslim taxi driver greeted us, "Merry Christmas". I was touched by the humility and sincerity, and closed my eyes briefly to say a little prayer for him. Even if the world is divided by different religions, I have always been glad on how we all learned to respect each other's beliefs. More of it, I thought, and the world would surely be a better place.
I still have a few weeks left and I needed to go back to Vietnam for work. And so I spent my New Year here; nothing much, as I expected. Most people are chinese, and they will have their own celebration on chinese new year. Sadness hit me, I had to admit, because I was alone in our big and spacious apartment, but still I was grateful. There are more than a handful of blessings I received last 2009 - I was able to go back and work again in Brasil; had a 6 week project in Abu Dhabi, and now, here in Vietnam. I found Martin, who has been giving me more than the love I ever expected; I have my best friends with me, and eventhough we are not together physically, I am grateful for their love and purest friendship; I have Mommy and Apple, who loves me endlessly -- all of these, enough to make me smile at heavens and open my arms for an avalanche of blessings coming my way.
It has been a good year -- even with a little turbulence at the beginning; everything ended well
Cheers 2009, it has been a good journey. 2010, bring it on :)
