The picture below is of the moon this morning at around 8.00 am which I captured from my cozy hotel bedroom in Eastbourne.
I was glad to have spent some time with my friend. His health had deteriorated at an incredibly fast pace in the last few months. I especially wanted to see him before I leave this country for good, which is now certain and at a rather inconsiderate short notice (but I am not complaining, it had been four wonderful and rewarding years and I want to leave with grace and no sour notes whatsoever)!
Whether I'll ever see my friend again in the future is difficult to tell, with his condition going from one extreme to another in between easier/calmer periods. I am quite certain that once I go home to Malaysia, it is most unlikely I will travel so far to England or Europe ever again. So meeting him this time was a rather poignant occasion. I can, however, look back fondly with happy memories of a friendship that had spanned over 35 years, during which time I received endless generous hospitality from him especially as his houseguest everytime I come home for holidays from my many years of overseas assignment. Other friends and I were surprised and disappointed that he chose to return to England after his retirement, after having lived in Malaysia some 40 years! Perhaps realising things would have been better in Malaysia after four years back in England he made plans to return to Malaysia in October and had secured an apartment in Penang. Sadly, that is now not to be! May you be as comfortable as you possibly can my dear friend.
And so we enter a new year, and for me especially a fresh new beginning as I soon will start a new life back home. I am not sorry to leave Switzerland; I have a huge reservoir of very pleasant and happy memories to avail to from these fours years here. And I am confident a new door to other good things is about to open for me. Insha Allah!
Happy New Year all, God bless!
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