#2: Long Distance Friendships
The joy, the missing and the in-between moments
Hello,
This week’s newsletter is going to be a memory montage of how I spent the last few days with some of my most favourite human beings.
The joy and the missing
I spent the most part of last week with some of my closest friends, friends that I don’t get to see very often given that we literally live in different continents, friends that I’ve known for half a decade now, friends that I consider family.
Seeing them arrive in my city made my heart somersault; too many times to even keep track of how many. Waiting and welcoming your loved ones is always an expression of celebration and un-contained joy, but then comes the goodbyes, the i-don’t-yet-know-when-I-will-see-you-next, the going back to being long distance friends again.
Yes I know, thanks to the Tech geniuses, an international phone call or video call takes absolutes zero effort, but you know what I mean right? How much of my joy, love and longing can a call teleport? HD quality video clarity doesn’t make up for an in-person hug now does it? If you’ve ever watched Doraemon, you know what I would wish for right now - the ‘‘Anywhere door’’ (for those who don’t know, this door is a convenient portal to get transported to anywhere you wish instantaneously)
What is my take on this
Missing sucks, trust me I know this first hand. But here is my take on it.
What an absolute blessing it is to have people that you can actually miss.
For me, this one sentences always, ALWAYS makes up for any sadness that comes with waving goodbye to a loved one. Imagine feeling nothing when you wave goodbye, nothing within you changes, you feel exactly the same before and after the person bids adieu… Is it not then an absolutely miraculous blessing to have people that you can actually miss, to have people that you count the days to meet, to have people that allow you to experience this joy of missing.
To my long distance friends:
Thank you for being walking talking human sized and shaped homes to me. Thank you for allowing me to experience this joy of missing. Thank you for being YOU to me <3
Why the Bougenvilla my favourite flower??
A Bougainvillea’s color doesn’t actually come from its flower. In fact its flowers are small and white. All those bouts of beautiful, bountiful pink come from its leaves.
When I think of a Bougainvillea, I think about all the beautiful people in my life - my family and my friends turned family; the beautiful, bountiful pink to my white.
My friends and I saw plenty of Bougainvilleas this week. Wish I could send you all bougainvilleas, but today I’ll send you a picture from my last week, and let’s pretend they are tangible bougainvilleas? :)
Moments of Joy
If you don’t recognise this section, read my first newsletter (here) to find out!
I spent one of these evenings by the beach, building sandcastles with my fully adult friends. Words do not do justice to the immense child-like joy I experienced. Sand, ocean, friends.
Sharing is caring
Really enjoyed watching this movie, The Lunchbox (2013).
One quote that stuck to me from this movie:
“I think we forget things if we have no one to tell them”
To my dearest friends, thank you for listening to my words. Thank you for not letting me forget.
I’ll see you next week. If you felt something while reading this, have a moment of joy that you’d like to share, or just want to say hi, write to me, I’d love to hear from you :)
Lots of warmth and wonder,
Vaishnavi