The Week After

This is written during a brief hiatus from blogging, when I had no internet connection for three weeks

Some things you simply can’t prepare for no matter how hard you try. It’s been almost a week now and I can’t shake this feeling of sadness. I don’t understand why but then again I do; there’s been a lot going on ever since last Saturday. All extremely emotional situations, separations, final goodbyes, tears, words spoken, truth revealed.

I should be happy but I’m not, it feels like I’m grieving but because I have no privacy I can’t really. No quiet moment because of the never-ending talking of the person I’m temporarily living with; it’s driving me insane. I have to stay patient, hold in and swallow words while all I really want is deal with things so I can let go of all these unexpected emotions…

There was no awkward silence during the two hours drive and the topics that were discussed during the crossing were the serious kind with a bit of humour and laughter. We both came clean about past mistakes, what went wrong, where and how. I thought he had peace with his decision that night and for the first time I was convinced it was genuine and mutual.

I wasn’t prepared for the words that were spoken the next evening when I walked him to the lorry to say goodbye. I wasn’t expecting to feel that intense sadness when I saw him cry, telling me he missed me already. I wasn’t prepared to see someone hurt the way he was. It confirmed what I’d suspected all along, that he’d been wearing a fool’s mask all this time.

I wasn’t ready to hear these words after such a long time, I wasn’t ready to have so many emotions. No matter what happened between us in the past, it’s been forgiven quite a while ago. I’m getting sick and tired of hearing all the ‘good advice’ from those around me, telling me that it’s no longer my problem and that I shouldn’t care. Because I do care… as a friend.

And perhaps I’m just sad because this is the story of my life and -once again- I’m told all those words that I’ve heard before, the moment one starts to realise that what’s been taken for granted all those years is no longer available and gone for good. I know what I have to offer, it’s just sad to see most never realised until it was too late to mend.

I think I’m gonna need and take some time and having no internet is actually quite convenient. Now all I hope for is that someone could take the hints and keep quiet instead of the relentless nonstop yakking and the constant demand for my attention. I’m in need of silence and solitude but I’ve never felt more lonely and isolated inside than over the past few days.

Amsterdam Harbour by Sunset

Last week I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive around the Westpoort harbour of Amsterdam on a barge by sunset. I realised it could get really late that night and I had an important meeting the next day but I didn’t mind about the next day. All I wanted was to have this experience and see what it is like to pick up a load of soy beans from a ship from Manila. It was an adventure and I had the time of my life!

It was 02.30 in the morning when I finally went to bed. Cold because of the wind on the water but extremely happy because I did something out of the ordinary and unplanned. It reminded me of adventures organised by my dad who would wake me up in the middle of the night, age seven, to go see a ship that ran aground -due to a severe storm- at the Scheveningen shore and have fish and chips after to warm up again…

© Zesty Gal, Westpoort harbour, Amsterdam

© Zesty Gal, Westpoort harbour, Amsterdam

© Zesty Gal, Westpoort harbour, Amsterdam

© Zesty Gal, Westpoort harbour, Amsterdam

© Zesty Gal, Westpoort harbour, Amsterdam

© Zesty Gal, Westpoort harbour, Amsterdam