Just a short, albeit overdue entry to express a little heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the people who care:
Seeing the whole entourage of friends who appeared at the airport in the wee hours of a Monday morning really touched my heart. I knew my pending absence over this period meant something to some of my closest friends, but never did I expect the whole bunch of people who’d bother to awake at such an unearthly hour to see me off (even though I made it a point to persuade them again and again, haha). Really, though, it was all a pleasant surprise as I saw my friends pop up one by one, all patiently waiting for my tad-screwed-up check-in procedures, just so to catch that one glimpse of (a thinner) me for the last time in 4 months, and to chat up a little.
I am a blessed person indeed, knowing there are so many people who cared for me, who cherished my presence and would miss my absence, and who explicitly expressed their concern for me in the manner of gifts, letters, and hugs.