and to another new (lunar) year start ...

5:45am!!

Wednesday (Feb 11)- An early morning run after any (big) run feels like a fresh start for me! My 12km run over the weekend was probably my most challenging run! But like always, it was mostly a 'mind game' and that got me to the finish line. Everyone's question to me was- so 21km next?    12 km to 21km seems like a big jump but to think of it, last year at this time I ran my 1st 5km! So it just maybe a question of me making up my mind and doing it. Inshallah!

Saturday (Feb 7)- Come to think of it, I almost didn't run this 12km run. Last week seemed like the most 'out of control' week for me. Commitments at my elder one's school, the younger one home (being sick)- which obviously made my training close to impossible. But on the morning of the run, suddenly there was a calmness! It felt like even God wanted me to get to that run! And it was all suddenly under control. Like I was always meant to be there! 

Tuesday (Feb 10)- I had an interesting conversation with a friend yesterday. We talked about how tough it is to make new friends after an age! And it's very rare that it fits well for all (husbands, wives, kids..). Having lived away from home for close to 17-18 years now, my friends (the very few I made wherever I stayed), have become family for me over the years (and not all of them are my spouses' friends too)! I have time and again depended on them for 'emotional support' and never looked at them as just friends! I can also count them on my fingers after all these years!!! Even today, I have my  'whatsapp' groups with my close friends (school, college, ex-work, Dubai and now Singapore). Even in Singapore, I made friends at different junctures- playground, bus stop gang, gym gang, yoga gang, my inner gang who are my 'punching bags' for anything, kids school mum's. Though the list is big, the number of friends are handful! My mum always complained (when I was a kid and sometimes even now), that I would go to any length for my friends (sometimes more than I do for family)!! But that's me!!

Wednesday (Feb 11)- And as I pack my bags for my CNY (Chinese New Year) break, there is a strange excitement. It's a short break back home, but with a purpose. This trip is dedicated to the grandparents and the grand kids. The kids will witness the 50th anniversary of their paternal grand parents. Even for me this is a first! It took me a while to explain to my 7-year old that this is 'damn special'. Of course the 2-year old was attentively listening and adding her bit too!

And on that note, Gong Xi Fa Cai and hopefully a good start to another lunar year!