Private Journey (x)

just got off from a conversation with an old friend. we used to have our sunday brunch after gym, then hit seattle's best in the mega strip for coffee and talk about life. fast forward to the present and our conversations are held between polar timezones. thank God for technology.

we laugh in turn remembering the things we did as young(er) men, then getting all serious trying to assess where we are right now. at that point he was engaged to be married while i was in between relationships. he's now dating again whereas am getting settled with my partner. talk about reversal of roles.

ever had a pal who shoots you down when you get too high up on your saddle? a pal who picks you up and consoles you when the echo of hitting rock bottom seem to ring between your ears? he does that for me, and he bloody knows that i'd do the same for him.

despite all of our accomplishments, we are still at that point in our lives where our linear lives hit a crossroad at every turn. purely out of instinct and faith, we make decisions to go one way or the other, hoping that we are still holding true to the path we are destined to take. the certainty that we all have our road to follow seem contrary to a common desire, that we both find the one we want to spend our lives with.

someone once asked me how i'd define a relationship. i used to be naive and describe it as any other fairy tale would go, "and they lived happily ever after". the reality is, after "the end" am sure prince charming and wife still had to tend to their daily lives.

if someone asks me the same question, i'd say that there really is no "relationship". let me qualify that statement.

we travel in our own destination. what we call relationships are the people that we meet along the way that has the same road we follow. Parallel lives, going about in the same direction. as any other journey, some take a shortcut, some make a turn, some settle down for a rest before going any further. we can only hope to find the one that goes on the same path as we do, living separate lives but enjoying the journey together. if we accept this, we'd be more open to the reality that people need to follow their own pace in life. it is up to us if we decide to slow down, wait a bit, give a lift or hitchhike.

my friend and i talk about our lives and relationships, we laugh over the uncertainties we face not knowing exactly how our respective fairy tale will end. along the way we meet, catch up, strengthen old ties and go about our respective journeys.

eventually, all pieces of the puzzle fit together.