Hey Cirrus, this one's for you...

The first time I ever met you was in the store and you were my trainer for the part time job I had just undertaken. That requires me to undergo training at the section which you are at. My impression of you is that you take your work seriously, despite this being only a part time job. How you went through the different shelves and categories with me, it is as if you knew what and where the books were even if you're blindfolded.

My most memorable moment with you was in the locker, and it was still during my first week. I saw that you were my locker-mate and even much more surprised to see you sticking the SIM Sars-Free 'I'm OK!' (something like that) sticker on the locker door, and I went 'Hey, I'm in SIM too.' Your droll response was 'Uhm, we're going to be late.' Classic response...

So time went by and we got to know each other better, mainly because we spent four hours, five working days of the week in the bookstore. We gradually began to talk more openly over supper at BK, with other part timers as well. You give those you know a comfortable feeling and it's easy to talk to you without having to build up any sort of 'mental' preparation beforehand. I'm not saying talking to you is brainless, but sometimes both you and I know how we like to auto-shut down our brains after a day of work.

So it's been 2 years and on-going. Went through numerous sale periods, holiday/vacation periods and not to mention the KPC (of the perverted nature) as well as customers who test our patience every single day without fail. Hey, we have to thank them for making us better human beings to be able to take their nonsense and self-righteousness.

I wanted to type such an entry more because of encouragement. Nobody else can do it, except family and friends. I mean, I don't proclaim to be better or worse than you but I just want you to know that you are definitely more capable than you think. Sure, the forces of evil can be scary and you don't want to go to the store every day with an armor and weapon to fight...It's tiring and you just want to rest at times. I know that because I see how it is like.

I don't have a solution as to how to diminish the forces of evil, but I do remember how we all had (and are still having) good times in the store... It's unforgettable and we've all bonded now. Just remember how we laughed over the silliest things and customers, and perhaps it will be easier to bear for now.

I'm not really great at comforting people, as you can tell... I'm kinda struggling abit now, haha. For you, it's a period of indecision now because you love this place but not all the people. I hope whatever it is you choose in the end, you won't regret it. But even if you do, we're still here. Friends don't abandon one another.

PS: Thanks for the skin. I love it, as I did with the other that you did :D

Those that go searching for love, only manifest their own lovelessness. And the loveless never find love, only the loving find love. And they never have to seek for it. -- D.H. Lawrence

Today, like any other day, I was in the bookstore going about my work, there was a toddler in his pusher near where I was working. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He seemed kind of bored, but he had that cheeky boyish look that reminded me of my nephew. I saw a little smile playing on his lips, and I think I attempted to smile at him. I see many babies and toddlers of different races every day in the store, but this one just came straight to my heart.

I wished I could just look at him and play with him for a while, and forget about work.

Babies and toddlers, to me, presents the purest kind of love in the whole wide world. The kind of love that is untainted by whatever the world has to offer. The kind of love that all die-hard romantics hope, exist.

I'm going to see my nephew tomorrow. No matter how much time I spend with him, it is never enough... and he's growing fast, way too fast for me.

"-You are mortal: it is the mortal way. You attend the funeral, you bid the dead farewell.
You grieve. Then you continue with your life.
And at times the fact of her absence will hit you like a blow to the chest, and you will weep. But this will happen less and less as time goes on.
She is dead.
You are alive.
So live."

In response:

"I am mortal, and I will live the mortal way. The tears I will hide and the vacum of anger I will breed, not forgetting the grief that remains.
I will walk on and stand tall, I will also brave the stormy weather, and come what may.
But I will never be who I am, before the funeral again.
I will live, and when the sun sets, that is when I will rest and bid the world farewell, for a while.
When memories strike me a blow, I will pick up the pieces and live again."