Initially when I planned for my trip, I mainly wanted a getaway. In my mind, almost anywhere that doesn't require a huge amount of planning and spending will do.
When going to HK came to mind, then this trip became basically about seeing friends. I thought of a few "must-see" people. There are of course more than a few whom I'd like to see, but I also thought that they must be busy. Whoever I got to see and meet, I simply hope that I could befriend, show my care and support for them. That's it. Besides seeing friends, there are no "must-see" places, nor "must-buy" items for me. Thus, with these figured out, I said 10 days would be more than enough, even including the time to adjust jetlag.
I flew on Aug 19, the week that most of my piano students started taking time off for their summer break. Yet, everything was booked flying back from HK to LA from Aug 30 all the way to Sep 6. My travel agent finally found a spot on Sep 2 in a different airline. Cheaper fare but with an extra stop. So, that's settled. Aug 19 - Sep 2. 14 days. Splendid.
The first few days in HK were slow. I needed time to (gladly) adjust to the pace, "density of friends," as well as to adapt to the sub-tropical weather. Walking one morning in TsingYi with my camera in an absolutely relaxed mood and a fairly familiar environment, I felt like a semi-spiritual retreat. I felt God being very close and heard His daily message to me loud and clear.
Then, I started calling up some friends and chatted. Oh... I forgot how fun it could be just shooting the breeze with old friends. My appointment book started to get filled: lunch & dinner on one day filled, lunch & dinner on the next day filled .... Pretty soon I crafted out time slots for afternoon tea, tea before lunch ... Couldn't rush. That wouldn't do. My record time was with my high school buddy, Claudia this time. We met up Tsimshatsui at around 5.30pm: we had a drink first, later joined by Dorothy, and then dined till some time past 11pm. We talked for 6 hours!
Sharing a house with another person was also nice 'cuz there's someone you could talk to face to face before you go to bed! I was staying @Amy's house the whole time. She sometimes works in another city in China and sleeps away. Nevertheless, there're more than several nights that there's a real person sitting right next to me before going to bed. And that's not too bad. Some of my LA friends noted (quite correctly) that I'm somewhat anti-social, an introvert. Yes, I'm like that, but I wasn't always like that. There were times when friends meant so much to me ... In my experience, it's true that God took away some 2nd best things in order that I recognize the number 1 best thing in life. I think I've grown to recognize how supreme and essential God's role in my life. Everything else, including friendship, is but a gift from Him.
By the last few days in HK, I realize that there're still friends whom I wanted to do a 1 on 1 but there's no time. By Sunday, the 11th day of my trip, I felt bad about leaving. I already missed the people, the city, the life. That was strange -- I was there the year before and also 3 years ago. I didn't feel anything like that the last two times. Perhaps my last two stays were too brief to make an impact on myself. The last, last time when I was in Hong Kong, en route from Anhui back to the States, I even armed myself with two LA friends while staying in HK, feeling insecure in the city. (But I also remember a curious episode that time. I couldn't quite figure out why I reacted a certain way. Hm... I think I know now: I didn't want to leave that time either.)
I couldn't just forego my return flight ticket and stay in HK. I had done it before but not this time. (My old-er friends might remember that I made this type of impulsive decision once about 20 years ago.) I reasoned with myself: I missed those people badly and thought of getting a job in China after staying there for two weeks. I probably have stayed for too long in HK. It's the wiring of my brain that's causing the problem. Plus, these people were nice and over-extended themselves because I only stayed briefly. It's not going to be like that if I lived there. Finally, I listed out my current responsibilities in LA that wouldn't justify any impulsive decision to not return there.
Over the years, I gradually develop a mentality that I want to settle down. The most logical and convenient place seems to be in LA. Now, that thinking has changed. I love changes. I am quite independent, but I love people. I still do... I guess my future is wide open. I just got to trust that He knows what's best for me.
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