We all know that the thing about growing old is that we find it hard to make new friends. In my case, it means that I write about the same friends Fuchsia has known for many years. Miss Jhun is one of them. She’s currently counting down to a milestone birthday. The one you arrive at having evolved and shed things that don’t matter in life, while still seeking more for your own growth, fulfilment and general merriment. Celebrations that include travel, apple martinis and age-appropriate wildness are having to wait for now. So it’s a tricky one for her. Therefore, I am going to attempt a little celebration of her over here.
She’s consistent. She decided one day that she wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. So she started training and went for it. It wasn’t easy by any means. But it was a success. She also consistently told me before and after her trip that I should climb the mountains I want.
She’s reliable. I have always said this about her. She’s there when her friends need her. She’s a safe pair of hands when work needs to get done. She even has the superpower of combining these two as demonstrated in Oslo in 2018 when she and I worked 18-hour days to deliver a project and she accompanied me to the ER in between too.
She is adventurous. She listens to her inner voice and does the things it tells her will be fun. This includes cycling in the hills on rainy days, driving without a licence, being in a face-off with sheep, drinking with strangers in an unknown country, late night dancing on the streets, making offbeat career choices, among others. Since I am a ‘tamed, adventurous spirit‘, I have cheered her on for these things from afar.
She is flexible. She only needs a pin on the map to move forward. The rest of the plan can come together with time. Decisions can be made on the fly. She can accommodate unknowns better than most people I know. These range from visa decisions to availability of tables at favourite restaurants or being okay just knowing that she and I could travel together with no clarity on destination. This trait of hers has always stood out starkly against my endless fuss about everything in life. I am thinking this might be one of the primary reasons why she and C gang up against me. Hmm.
She is arty. She paints. She performs. She curates. When she isn’t doing one of these, she immerses herself in experiencing art created by others. This, while I just buy mugs that say I am arty and then offer her a hot drink in them.
Above all, she is warm. No cold-face bitchiness here. She gives and now appropriately seeks that warm fuzzy feeling in relationships and life. No exception for a guarded dad either. After all, she’s reached the age when she knows better than to have anything else.
With warm Fuchsia birthday wishes,
RB
Fuchsia 
I will read it again and again and forever. It made me feel “warm and fuzzy”. I continue to be in awe of how you manage to put feelings into words.
The best “letter” I could have received! It has memories and love. RBG, you’re simply the best.
It’ll make me smile ear to ear for a few days.
This line made me do a double take: No exception for a guarded dad either. I honestly can’t believe you remembered that conversation.
In all the photos, the one from the ER is my favourite. What a cray cray night but I remember laughing a lot.
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