It worked like clockwork.
No more sluggish August days. September suddenly came – and everything in Washington started running with high speed. Everyday there were several deadlines, which managed to punctuate the day in a fashion that guaranteed either a working lunch or a working through lunch. With such business, it was hard to find time to enjoy the cool breezes and the chilly temperature perfect for a light cotton cardigan.
Hidden by that sudden jolt of reality, it seems that Washingtonians are putting extra effort to find occasions for get-togethers, making sure that we get out as much as possible before the cold finally hits the city – from the institutionalized birthdays, housewarmings, welcome-back, good-byes (?!?!), to the random long-time-no-sees. My social calendar thus got a sudden boost of pride as I desperately need it to keep track of various types of engagements that I once thought I could keep all in my head.
Yet it is almost ironic that in the middle of this season, I started to feel the discomfort of being a social butterfly. With connections becoming more superficial from one event to another, I yearn for the cozy human contacts of close friends with whom I can share just about everything. It was suddenly dawned on me, however, that many of those are relocated to half-way around the world – and despite what we say about being only a phone call away, we are still half a world apart.
As a breeze naughtily blew through my collar, I shivered and thought of my friends, of our impromptu phone conferences, our own get-togethers, our special birthday presents, our road trips, and our special friendship. Out there in Hanoi, Saigon, Singapore, New York, or elsewhere, are you thinking the same?
No more sluggish August days. September suddenly came – and everything in Washington started running with high speed. Everyday there were several deadlines, which managed to punctuate the day in a fashion that guaranteed either a working lunch or a working through lunch. With such business, it was hard to find time to enjoy the cool breezes and the chilly temperature perfect for a light cotton cardigan.
Hidden by that sudden jolt of reality, it seems that Washingtonians are putting extra effort to find occasions for get-togethers, making sure that we get out as much as possible before the cold finally hits the city – from the institutionalized birthdays, housewarmings, welcome-back, good-byes (?!?!), to the random long-time-no-sees. My social calendar thus got a sudden boost of pride as I desperately need it to keep track of various types of engagements that I once thought I could keep all in my head.
Yet it is almost ironic that in the middle of this season, I started to feel the discomfort of being a social butterfly. With connections becoming more superficial from one event to another, I yearn for the cozy human contacts of close friends with whom I can share just about everything. It was suddenly dawned on me, however, that many of those are relocated to half-way around the world – and despite what we say about being only a phone call away, we are still half a world apart.
As a breeze naughtily blew through my collar, I shivered and thought of my friends, of our impromptu phone conferences, our own get-togethers, our special birthday presents, our road trips, and our special friendship. Out there in Hanoi, Saigon, Singapore, New York, or elsewhere, are you thinking the same?
Credit: Autumn Breeze - Kathryn Abernathy
i hear you :( having the very same thought...
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