Merci

I notice that you haven't been writing lately.
Surely there's something wrong.

If you haven't known, my mommy and I have a relationship that goes beyond any blasé mother and daughter bond. Honest to god, I don’t know how we intertwined but I sure am grateful that I can talk to her about any shit. When I tried holding back, she pulled the strands out so smooth I felt no pressure. The more I worried she might scream her lungs out at me for doing so bad in my exams; the more calm she was motivating me to focus on my strength. Bless you if your mother is as cool as mine.

Much as I despise daddy being overprotective, I secretly whisper my thank you. Because daddy too gets the hunch when my heart is clouded with worries. Be it a nagging call at five in the morning, it made me laugh. How he whines to mommy instead of just asking me about the boy has never failed to tickle my funny bones.

On top of that, I have the best of friends. The countless of times I whimper about my stupidity (literally), the countless of times too they remind me about my intelligence. Thus the immediate decision of making topic three as my final essay. 93% for this didn’t help me get an A for the subject. And the two essays I screwed up were 85% on average. Yes, I suck at getting good grades.

You can bash me all you want, but this is dedicated to them. It’s all formal because it’s meant to be graded. The disparity of passing a paper at UiTM and University of Iowa is like learning to write with your toes.

***

It is still vivid in my memory the night I departed for Iowa City. My parents and I were two hours ahead of departure time. While father was busy checking in our luggage, I rang up my best friend, Liyana. I asked of her whereabouts at the airport and looked for her later. Little did I know that a bunch of them were already there. They had come earlier to sign in the scrapbook made especially for my farewell. Tears came down as I read their notes. It appears to be one of my best traits, that is I treasure my true friends because of their sincerity, the faith that they have in me and how much of a family they are to me.

One of the reasons I cherish true friends is because of the sincerity that comes within. Some people befriend you because of your status and use it as a stepping-stone to reach their goal. But some just genuinely want to be part of your world. I have always held onto the policy that honesty is the root of friendship. When you make a mistake, a real friend would tell it straight to your face instead of sugarcoating the situation. Not in the intention to hurt your feelings, but to bring out the best in you. It also strengthens the bond.

Moreover, I appreciate them for the faith that they have in me. Actuarial science has definitely curved an interesting path in my life. It is undeniably a tough course that at times I feel like giving up. But they would catch me if I fall and push me beyond my own limit because they trust the willpower in me. Even though they are not here in presence I can still listen to their chants of support. My friends have so much faith in me than I have for myself, which is perhaps the reason I survive this winding journey thus far.

In addition, I treasure my best friends because they are practically like family. We have known each other since school and we grew up within the same neighborhood. Some of our parents are even acquaintances. Liyana especially, is more of a sister than a friend to me. It was the hardest bidding goodbye to her because of how dependent I had been. From straightening my hair to short listing the best universities for my degree, I relied on her. They say that blood is thicker than water; I am just blessed with a waterfall.

What is more treasonous is seeing how close some of them are with my mother. She treats my friends with respect and gives them space to voice out. It is to the extent that some of them seek her advice on life as a whole. To me, she is without a doubt the best of friend a girl could ask for. Even my guy friends find her easy to talk to. It calms me knowing that through mother they can get hold of me regardless of me being miles away.

It is worthwhile to know that distance does not weaken our friendship, but it helps us appreciate each other more. In fact, my friends are worth fighting for because in return they offer honesty, trustworthiness and an unbreakable bond. They stand by me wherever I go and I carry their hearts with me.