The Farewell

Today is officially the last day of school for Thea. TT had a farewell party of fun games, singing, dancing and food for the kids and invited the parents to attend the kids' fun 'Graduation' ceremony. It was really fun seeing the kids walk up the 'red carpet' to receive their 'certificates'. Lols.

Although some parents (including myself) are excited in sending our kids to another school next year, more like advancing to another level, there is a part of all of us who feel that we'd miss this. Imagine, I am not talking about the kids, but the parents.. lols. Looks like the parents have bonded too, which is a good thing.

Thea made so many beautiful friends in school, and I've made friends with their (Thea's friends) mommies too. They are really a fun bunch, though I don't hang out with them as often as they hang out with each other. They laugh all the time. Really!

Amongst Thea's friends, there is this special girl that she talks and spends most of the time with in school. Everybody notices it. The teachers, even the parents of other kids. Her name is Joelle. Thea and I decided that we would get a gift for Joelle for the farewell so that in case they could not meet up as often as they do now, the symbol of the gift would always help them to remember each other.

Last week, we (Thea & I) bought a photoframe with the words "Best Friends" craved on the frame. This was the exact same photoframe that Alina gave me years back for Christmas, except a little bigger in size. Remembering this experience brings sweetness to my heart. :) And, I remembered that during one of those times where I brought Dad's 500D to Thea's class and started snapping away, that there was a picture I took of both of them together (Thea & Joelle), I picked that picture, developed it and carefully placed it in the picture frame that Thea and I picked for Joelle. Together, we wrote a card to Joelle too. It said,

"Dear Joelle,

TQ for being my friend.

Love, Thea Wong"

We included our contact details so that Joelle could always stay in touch with her whenever she wanted to. It would really be nice. :)

During the drive back home from school, Joelle's grandmother called me and expressed how nice it was of Thea to give Joelle something so sweet (the photo + photofrane). And she told me, "Joelle is so happy and said, 'Poh-Poh, I don't miss Thea anymore because I can see her everyday!!'" It was really so, so sweet. Even, Joelle's grandmother was touched, I could tell.

These two little girls, at such a tender age. The begining of a friendship out of nothing-ness, and the farewell necessary for a reunion some day - actually, it could just be a day or two, or a week or two... Lols. I guess they will have to get used to not seeing each other so often in a week. Lols.

I am so grateful for being able to witness the friendship between Thea & Joelle. Their friendship, so innocent, pure and genuine touched my heart. They remind me of all my other friends whom I had shared a bond with during certain periods of my life, and then we bid our farewells for some reason or another (graduation, migration and etc etc). And then I remember once again, these friends and I have never parted for whatsoever reason because, what remains in the heart, stays in the heart. And when a friend stays in our hearts, how could we have been apart?

No distance could ever separate what is in the heart. Nothing could ever separate what is Love.