My next flights
are scheduled in 10 days. At first I thought my upcoming vacation is merely a
moment for reunion, for the much-awaited family dinners and meet-ups with
friends, and a chance to trace my way around places that I used to know very
well. It’s an annual attempt to reconnect to my roots, to revisit memories and
make new ones, and mainly see (and unfortunately, at times it comes with
regret) what I’ve left behind.
But it seems
that the four plane rides will also serve as an escape from my current state. It’s
not bad; it’s just that everything is floating. Everything is stamped with uncertainty. To be
honest, I first treat all these as a welcome respite from the routine and
humdrum of my everyday life – I always complain that I’ve seen enough of
Singapore. Then, bam! Suddenly, it feels like 2009 again. The excitement, the
uncertainty, the nagging feeling of not being in control of what’s around the
corner, the sense of adventure that awaits – I’m reliving all of them.
The next 10
days – which I thought will be spent shopping for Christmas presents and idly
typing my articles for our next magazine issue – will be packed with life-changing
decisions on top of my pre-vacation must-dos. Early holiday dinner with friends
will be squeezed between days of looking for a flat and the countless viewing
schedules; meeting with the current landlord will be slated between after-work
discussions with property agents and possible future landlords. My employment
pass renewal is expected to be processed before my flight home (fingers crossed
everything goes smoothly!). Scheduling of media tasting and interviews for my
January’s deadlines is also in the works, and of course, two office parties (the
70s-themed client thanksgiving and the Christmas lunch) have to be attended. And I don't want to get started on my biking/nature walk/jogging schedule. My
flight home is an escape from these must-dos and inevitable decisions, and the
week I’ll spend for the holidays will be equally hectic trying to meet as many
friends and relatives as I could in a span of a week.
It appears my Christmas shopping will be
done: last minute after our office Christmas party the day before my flight;
at Changi Airport while waiting for my flight; in Davao while waiting for my
domestic transfer; and/or in Makati after meeting up with friends. But then, as one friend recommended: You can always come with your overused yet reliable excuse, "let my presence be my
present". I plan not to use that line this time, promise.
