The Absence

I slept early last night. I read The Joy Luck Club since afternoon, non-stop. By 21:30, I felt my eyes heavy and red, my body stiff. I had finished ‘major’ packing so not much to do anymore in the evening. I slept before 22:00. It was a good sleep. I got up at 4:30 and was ready to start wrapping up the house.

I often feel I would have long morning when I start that early. Actually the sun shines earlier in Ubud, unlike in Jakarta, of course. Once the sun is up, I consider morning has ended. I tidied every part of the house and made myself ready sooner. I spared some time to read before left.

Well, it seemed that Ana was also in the mood to start early. He was ready at the door before our appointed time. That’s perfect. To be frank, I was a bit nervous because I had to reissue my ticket since I had rescheduled my flight and also needed to run errands before airport.

All went smoothly in the end. Now I know the trick to reschedule with the airline without showing up very early. I also had a nice quick silver shopping in Seminyak and dropped my necklace off at a friend’s shop in Kuta – my first ever to have my stuff in consignment. I used to have others consigned in my shops. Nice feeling. Like a new adventure. Curious.

I got in the airport half an hour too early for the airline counter to open for check in. I sat in my trolley in front of the counter to give them pressure, no, because no seat was available. It’s interesting though to observe (while reading) how the airline staffs killed time. They actually had nothing to do. They were sleepy and made themselves busy by weighing body and teasing each other. It’s ironic whereas the patrons had started queuing in front of the counter.

Back in Jakarta I experienced the traffic was no better (is ever?). My driver told me that it’s even worse now with the rain every afternoon. I sat in silence looked out the windows. What do I want? How can I survive the city? And back home I learn two lessons: to thank for not having to think of what to eat the next meal and to be able to delegate more of household chores as I saw staffs treated my black clothes not the right way. It was not their fault, I haven’t shared the trick as I usually did many by myself.

I’m happy to find out that actually many things can be appreciated more and learned while being absent. So I have done the right thing by living here and there. In my absence, I grow and help others the same.

Photo of Ubud House’s bridge this morning before I left.