Human being is not the most special
creature in this world, I can assure you, but is no doubt the most interesting
race. Human's life usually going in many types of circle, starting with four
legs, developing into just two, and then going back to four legs again when
they die, is one such example. My life, which is totally normal, also shares
the same circles. The two of such circles I have been noticing recently, are
the circles of home and journeys.
When I was small, about two or three years
old, I spent two thirds of my life at my grandparents' house, which is obviously
the cause for me being so attached to the house. When my family moved out to
our own house, I still went there every week (I still do now). The distance
from my house to theirs was not really long, about 3-4 kilometers. But that
mere distance felt like worlds to me, litterally, worlds. Those were my
childhood journeys, to my grandparents' house.
Growing up into someone who can walk long
distances or ride bikes, I no longer felt the distance from my grandparents'
house so far. Instead, my journeys then started to grow bigger. I could go to
differents provinces, cities, and even different countries, for short trips
actually. Those journeys for me were so memorable that, I thought to myself that
I was so childish and my grandparents' house was so easily approachable, why I
felt such a short distance so big back then. Well, I was in the period to make
so many mistakes.
Living and studying in a country that took
me several hours by plane, the distance I could go expanded to a whole new
level. How funny It was for me to felt the same way as myself 16 years ago,
that the journey back to my grandparents house could take years, and felt like
worlds. My life has just gone for a full circle in nearly 20 years, and may be
the loop will repeat for several times in the rest two thirds of my life.
Well, every ride, no matter how short, can
always teach me something in life.
Today, my 4-year-old cousin just said
something that got my family thinking. He was asked why he liked New Year so
much (the expected answer would be because he could receive lots of lucky
money). He told us, suprisingly wisely, that It was because he could stay at
home during New Year break from kindergarden. Now that I think hard about it,
me 16 years ago felt the same way. All I wanted was a break from school and to
stay at home, with my parents and the rest of my family.
Growing up staying inside my house most of
the time, I always felt the urge to go out with friends and have fun (even if
there were no fun at all, I still wanted to go out). This urge resulted in my
countless times of playing truant from private classes or athletic classes
(which meant hell to me back then). Home for me back then was wherever I felt
free and unrestrained, or where I could find the ones I really cared about by
my side. I was even ranting about how I was kept inside my house, by my
parents, while my friends freely spread their wings outside, easily. Once
again, I must say, I was in the period of making so much mistakes.
This time, coming home made me feel myself
as a kid, made me rethink why I like being home so much then. I was like an old
man finding a time machine and witness myself as a child innocently flipping
around in a protective atmosphere inside my house. And all that feelings made
me think to myself, "I have to go back home, eventually."
