The beauty I see

I've a set of friends whom I've known for a relatively long time. They might not be the longest ones I know. Just a mere nine years? But the degree of closeness I share with them. Only so few can rival...

I just love the stunned looks on people's face whenever I tell them I still hang out with my primary school friends. Yes, your eyes didn't fail you. I still hang out with them till today and I'm proud to tell everyone that I enjoy going out with my childhood friends!

Did I tell you that in the past whenever I want to go out and my mum ask me who am I going with, I would just say I'm going out with my primary school friends even though I'm not? What a safe proof excuse.

Hey! I'm not the only one ok? A few of them did use the same excuse okkk!

They might just be the only clique that still address me by my Chinese name. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I loathe the name my grandfather gave me.

It's just that the English one is easier for people to remember. I remember there was this particular class project I had and I invited two of them to help me out. They were baffled when my classmates addressed me as Edward and my classmates were equally confused when the two called out my Chinese name, Kwee Siong.

I told the two to call me as they have known me for years. There's no need to conform. So for the rest of the day, my classmates went "Edward! This..." and the two of them went "Kwee Siong! That..." and we had fun collecting newspapers.

I always try to make time for them. A cuppa here. A dinner there. Not to mention high tea too!

The silly conversations and the even sillier laughter with them. Those memories. Simply priceless...

I've the best analogy to describe our relationship with one another and it goes like this:

Each of us are like trees in the forests. Each of us need the space to grow. Each of us grow at our pace. Some, faster and some, slower but always growing. But just like the dense forest, there will be moments the branches, the twigs and the vines from other tress become entangled with one other or even a few others.

These fateful entanglements are just like those moments where we take out precious time from our daily lives, if not busy lives and spend a hour or two just with one another. Just enjoying each other's presence and each of us leave a imprint of our lives within one another.

And after the day draws to end, we bade a farewell with one another and continue growing. At our space and always at our own pace. Always looking forward to another entanglement.

Such is the beauty I see... Do you?