time to say goodbye- andrea bocelli

I suppose I should be writing a post on my travels in Europe. I do promise to write a little more about my experiences in Europe, but at the moment, there are certain matters which I feel I must write about. I apologize for the lack of chronology.

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You will never be able to go home again. You will probably always leave part of yourself behind and thereafter will be split, and home may be in more than one place. But that is the price you pay for the richness of having experienced more than one culture so deeply. –Miriam Adeney

My time here in London is finally coming to a close. I’ve been here for four years, which is quite a long time for someone my age. Four years- four good years and God has been so good.


I spent my final few days walking along the paths I once used to walk along and through the parks I used to frequent. Autumn really is a beautiful time- the leaves are just starting to wither and it’s colours finally turning yellow. In a few weeks, the leaves will turn vivid brown, the weather will start to get colder, the days shorter and the nights longer- a change in season. It’s weird how I know this place so well and it pains me to be leaving it.

London has been indeed a very special time for me- growing in knowledge of God, in fellowship with believers and in a more general sense, living life. I will miss it sorely. For all these reasons, it’s most tempting to see London as ‘the’ special place where life was really good- good people, good education, good lifestyle etc. I use the word ‘tempting’, because I know that the giver of these things is good irrespective of place and time. It would be flawed to think that life will never be as special as it is now- just as the giver is unchangeable in nature, so will his gifts be unchangeable in goodness both in the past and in the future. I should be wary to guard myself from moping around and bemoaning the fact that the good ol’ London days have now come and gone. God has been good to me in London and He’ll still be when I return to Malaysia. The best is yet to be!

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In the past 2 weeks, so much has happened and will be happening- my graduation, birthday and farewell. Again, I have to stress that God has been extremely good. He has provided me with so many people around me to share my joy. For that I’m so very thankful!

The sheer quantity of people that I’ve met over the past few years amazes me. I just met up with some friends over dinner just now- some old, some new. It saddens me to be leaving all the friends I’ve made here in London and that I might never get to know my new friends a little better. Such is life- always littered with people whom you might never meet again. The question that comes to mind is ‘what have I left them with?’ Hopefully more than a few one-liners that gets them cracking. I made some new friends today and I hope that any way possible, I have pointed them to Christ. Given the chance, I’d love to see and hear from them again. But in all likelihood, this goodbye would be very long one- till the day when the trumpet sounds. O that all my interactions with other people may be of eternal value.