The last time I met you, you looked tired!

My friend told me over coffee in the morning. She didn’t see me 9 hours, 4 malls, later. I had no expression. I was so tired that I could barely think what to do after get off taxi. Two hours chatted with a good friend, it was so hot that I was half an hour late for haircut. Then another hour with my 17-year hairstylist-cum-friend (we found out today that we’ve known each other that long!). And another hour with nephew Dhana to have lunch. Finally another 4 hours hopping malls to run errands. It numbed me.

I observed and learned about myself today. My friend and I talked about communication across generations the other day. How she and I faced a phase in our life when to have a smooth communication with mother became harder. We are both about 30 years apart from our mothers. It’s a generation apart. The gap that needs both parties to come mid way. And often, the younger one that has to come mid way and wait for ever to get the other party to come closer. Such experience gives me lesson to be… ‘imprecise.’

Today is another day to practice impreciseness. I have learned it for quite some time that my friend mentioned in the morning how she started to copy my attitude. She is even more perfectionist than me. Fine, but it seems I still have that ‘planning things’ in me that many things have to be more or less precise. My friend confirmed the other week that I’m still… precise. I’ve succeeded in some areas but I feel I still need to relax in more areas. Especially when dealing with young adult. I’m in between ‘want to be imprecise’ and ‘need to be precise.’ But how to communicate my both feelings? In general, it’s already not easy to have an ‘adequate’ communication with a young adult like my nephew.

That cables, with ‘s,’ also implies a cable with adaptor, not just a cable to connect. How far my brain has to stretch in such case. And when I considered he’s mature enough to pack up for travel, I had to face the fact that he put his laptop in checked-in baggage without lock. I have passed the stage when I could explode of such thing. I learn more that I don’t need to be precise for other people for they have their own considerations and have to be ready to face any consequences that follow.

Really. By the end of 9 hours negotiating this and that to meet the mid way, I felt depleted. Drained. I thought I was the only one but… no. My nephew already had plans when we're still in taxi. Shower and rest.

Part of a statue depicts a fragment of Asmat life.