2 nights ago I received an unexpected text message, it reads:
"Kakak, thanks for all your prayers. I got accepted in the Medical Faculty of University P***"
It took only 5 seconds before I spilled my tears. And those are happy tears.
I met this girl when she was in 5th grade. Her mom's my mom's close friend in church. At that time, she was also very clingy to her uncle, my friend & my duet partner in church. As she also had some domestic problems, she's very shy and cried easily. And for the next few years after our first meeting, she grew attached to me too. We talked a lot, I used to spend sometime with her & her siblings when our moms got together and I somewhat became a big sister figure for her and I cared a lot about her like a lil' sister I never had.
Circumstances made us lost contact for a few years when she was in Junior High. I met her again when she just got into High School. At that time, my mom was in her early medications, her mom talked to my mom on the phone about it and they decided that they should meet. So we met at Pondok Indah Mall over lunch on a Saturday.
During lunch, I found out that things at home were still hard for her. But to my surprise, she matured a lot during those years we weren't in touch. She took care of her 2 lil' sisters well and had such a strong personality. It was also a few days after her birthday, I remembered that I sent her a text message and her mom told me that she was very happy! She said: "Mom, she still remembers my birthday! She sent me an SMS!" It was also one of the reasons why our moms decided to meet. So I asked her what did she want for her present. She said a book, and she chose Memoirs of a Geisha at the bookstore. She seemed very happy. Then we ate ice cream together, and bought some snacks at the supermarket. We parted happily and promised to keep in touch. A promise that I couldn't keep.
She changed her phone number and at that time I was also busy taking care of my mom & struggled to cope up between my work & personal affairs. When my mom passed away, her mom came to the wake & funeral... and I was updated again with her stories. Yes finally we meet again through FB, but I didn't see her again until a few days before my surgery. She and her mom was at the hospital where I went and we got to chatted for a while there. Then I received the text message that I mentioned in the beginning of this post.
I cried over the news because I'm proud of her. Despite her hard times, she grew up strong and wise. I'm ashamed that I wasn't able to keep my promise to be there for her at her hard times, but she still sent me the message anyway. I almost feel like a parent whose child is going away to start a new path of her own. But I really wish that I could be a part of her future and do more for her than what I did in the past.
I can't be the big sister anymore for her but I want to be there for her when she needs someone to talk to. I didn't promise her anymore that I'll keep in touch. Instead, I promise myself to do it. I'm praying for her happiness and her future. And I'm proud that my little girl has grown up strong. I still have a few years until she graduates and turned into a wise woman. And I surely want to support her until that time comes.
"Kakak, thanks for all your prayers. I got accepted in the Medical Faculty of University P***"
It took only 5 seconds before I spilled my tears. And those are happy tears.
I met this girl when she was in 5th grade. Her mom's my mom's close friend in church. At that time, she was also very clingy to her uncle, my friend & my duet partner in church. As she also had some domestic problems, she's very shy and cried easily. And for the next few years after our first meeting, she grew attached to me too. We talked a lot, I used to spend sometime with her & her siblings when our moms got together and I somewhat became a big sister figure for her and I cared a lot about her like a lil' sister I never had.
Circumstances made us lost contact for a few years when she was in Junior High. I met her again when she just got into High School. At that time, my mom was in her early medications, her mom talked to my mom on the phone about it and they decided that they should meet. So we met at Pondok Indah Mall over lunch on a Saturday.
During lunch, I found out that things at home were still hard for her. But to my surprise, she matured a lot during those years we weren't in touch. She took care of her 2 lil' sisters well and had such a strong personality. It was also a few days after her birthday, I remembered that I sent her a text message and her mom told me that she was very happy! She said: "Mom, she still remembers my birthday! She sent me an SMS!" It was also one of the reasons why our moms decided to meet. So I asked her what did she want for her present. She said a book, and she chose Memoirs of a Geisha at the bookstore. She seemed very happy. Then we ate ice cream together, and bought some snacks at the supermarket. We parted happily and promised to keep in touch. A promise that I couldn't keep.
She changed her phone number and at that time I was also busy taking care of my mom & struggled to cope up between my work & personal affairs. When my mom passed away, her mom came to the wake & funeral... and I was updated again with her stories. Yes finally we meet again through FB, but I didn't see her again until a few days before my surgery. She and her mom was at the hospital where I went and we got to chatted for a while there. Then I received the text message that I mentioned in the beginning of this post.
I cried over the news because I'm proud of her. Despite her hard times, she grew up strong and wise. I'm ashamed that I wasn't able to keep my promise to be there for her at her hard times, but she still sent me the message anyway. I almost feel like a parent whose child is going away to start a new path of her own. But I really wish that I could be a part of her future and do more for her than what I did in the past.
I can't be the big sister anymore for her but I want to be there for her when she needs someone to talk to. I didn't promise her anymore that I'll keep in touch. Instead, I promise myself to do it. I'm praying for her happiness and her future. And I'm proud that my little girl has grown up strong. I still have a few years until she graduates and turned into a wise woman. And I surely want to support her until that time comes.
