Here are some of my thoughts on this the first hour of the Lunar New Year (an occasion which, because of the majority race in the country, is commemorated in proportions larger than Christmas or any other festive event; I mean, stores actually close for extended periods of time, that's the scale of it) -
Chinese New Year's Eve is meant for family reunions, and that has been particularly significant for me as I've not had the chance to be around my family often over the past 3 weeks. That the eve should fall on a Sunday makes it especially so, because I have not had the chance to attend church on the Sabbath as often either. Call it what you want - a pocket/alternative/non-reality - it is for all intents and purposes a large pause in the regular experience of life. So to have spent this Sunday/the eve with friends, family and alone doing stuff I usually occupy my time with (see: naps, readings, applications, internet, iTunes) made the third day of this 5-day resuming of life very pleasant. Day 1 was spent preparing for the specialist interview and I decided not to head out like I had originally planned, which was the right choice since I enjoyed that time more leisurely. I also think I didn't feel the need to rush out since I had 10 whole hours to do that on Wednesday. Day 2 has been mentioned in point 5 of my previous post, and I think I managed to meet up with everyone whom I had kept in contact with over those 3 weeks. There are others I've been wanting to meet and stuff, but I've not heard from them since the week the year started.
CNY celebrations last for 2 days following the eve. Visitations have never figured largely on my calendar, and given my schedule, I will only be visiting once for dinner on Day 4 (CNY Day 1), after a class gathering, and hopefully followed by a trip out which I had not made on Day 1. The second day of CNY (Day 5) will be spent alternately on putting the rest of my academic future together and spending time with parents (or more accurately parent as one will be on the way to Houston) before Week 3 ('cos just like school, there's a Week 0 factored into the calendar) begins.
Like I mentioned, I've had lots of time to think. I hope to continue to have that, owing especially to that expensive specialist assessment yesterday (in my head it's still Sunday; only when I finish reading last week's Economist and wake up will Monday have begun).
What I've learnt going into the first day of the last week of January?
Live out Love; Live through Faith; Live in Hope.
