Back From The Long Retreat

It has been a while indeed, and the time away was well used to refresh, renew and rejuvenate. It was how time was spent, not how money was spent travelling abroad as an escapade. Someone just told me that Singaporeans generally feel so couped up with life on the island that being on a bike and abroad represents all the freedom the spirit can enjoy, which provides a sense of escape and liberation. Unfortunately, that theory was intended to explain why we have had bike fatalities involving Singaporean riders abroad and locally. I am not so sure that theory holds water.
But I can share that the last five months of private time at home was extremely gratuitious and proved very helpful, spirit - mind - body wise.
The time in retreat is now over and I must needs be back at work and at life, gathering back together the loose pieces of opportunity and cares, which have been indulgently laid aside during my retreat.
The most important gift of the retreat is the release of certain burdensome cares, two in particular:
first is that of long time disappointment and despise for a relationship within the family that previously brought nothing but frustration; and,
second is that of the realisation of discrete trust being essential in all matter of work and friendship. Some friendships - founded at work and grew beyond the office - are still to be treated with the same cautionary wisdom - simply because the persons involved in these relationships grew at a different pace and with another paradigm of wisdom and values. So, not all friendships are to be treated the same, and not all friends offer the same wisdom and maturity of person.
What's new then? Nothing to most - perhaps - but we come to our own realisations as we ponder and reflect on events and circumstances that now make up our personal history, and with these come the lessons we can take with us.
So the bottom line is this no different from what the ancient philosopher proferred: Know Thyself. Sophists may sneer now at my "late blooming" so to speak, but what else can be more profound that experiencing the many dimensions of an ancient truth in a personal and real way. I have let go of the relationships that are futile; and must be boldly scrupulous about where opportunity and utility meets, to then take rein and find yield. To the dockside, where the yacht is prepared, and to the weather ahead, make plan and provision to leave the hugged coastline and venture to welcome havens...