I'm getting out my huge suitcase to first unpack the stuff brought a year ago when I visited home and pack some stuff to bring back as gifts.
However it is just not a simple unpacking and packing. I actualy rediscovered stuff that I bought but hardly or in fact never used. For examples, look at the clothes I brought over. I remember each year I went home during school vacation, I would just shopped and shopped to stock up as much stuff as possible for the year. But actually how much stuff did I really need to use or manage to use? Probably just about half of the purchased.
Let's take a look at our closet. I find that there are many clothes that haven't been worn for ages. I just look at the pairs of jeans I have. Geez, I used to think I didn't have that many pairs of jeans because I ( have to reemphasize ) I'm really not a shopaholic, not especially for clothings. But when I look at the closet, I actually have too many pairs and what's more pity is I don't like to wear them anymore. I admit that I am suffering the complex of abandoning old clothes after getting new ones. No matter how few clothes I buy each time, I'll just slowly ignore the old ones and keep wearing the newer ones. I'm sure some of you have this complexity too. At least many of us have the "just in case" mind. When we're making a purchase, we'll be thinking, "Maybe this is not enough, just in case I need more, I better buy more now." Then all of a sudden, a packet will end up 3 packets and sometimes we don't even bother to use it later, not even once. This happens to me many times. Look at the cooking spices I bought from home, I haven't touched them since I brought those packets back because I don't cook often enough. Just imagine if we could be a bit thrifty, we would have save up a small fortune for better purposes.
With this typed, I better not buy that much this time when I'm home. I don't want to throw away stuff for my next relocation. That will be a pain.
While going through the stuff, I actually found a letter in a red envelope (red resembles prosperous and fortune in chinese). It's a letter written by my aunt. I vaguely recall the content and the reason I brought it along with me. I had a read. Minutes later I found tears filling my eyes. It was a letter accompanied by her blessings (in terms of some money in red packet) when I was leaving home for my first job ever in another country shortly after my return from college. The following is the excerpt of the letter.
"I could still remember when you were entering Grade one, I bought you a set of color pencils as a gift. You stared at me innocently with a wide grin on your face. Since then you smoothly accomplished your education all the way to high school. After that, you went abroad and again, I gave you my "blessings". Again, you didn't disappoint me and completed your degree. Now you're entering another phase in life. There will be humps in front. But I'm sure you'll learn from them. Plus you know I'm always supportive with whatever you want to pursue.
Aunt SF
2002-26-03"
This letter was written almost 3 years ago. That was way before I quited my first and only job and came here for Grad school. That means it was not written in association/regards with my relocation here. But I still brought it with me. I know subconsciously that letter serves a strong dose of support and encouragement for me wherever I'm on my own from time to time.
Okie dokie, enough thoughts from this packing. I really need to continue packing. Boy, I'm beginning to looking forward to go home and see my family. Well, they better feel the same. Oops, I mean my family. Gotcha! Hehe.
♥ every page of my imagination
