Farewell Dear Friend

Never for a minute did I think that a life in Beijing would bury itself so deeply within my soul. It did. It crept into my very core. Making the final goodbye extremely painful.

The seemingly endless years have slipped by

Taking with them a lifetime of memories

Swathed in irreplaceable personal growth

Infused with wisdom

Day in and day out I have stood questioning you

Exploring your every fragment

Marvelling at your presence

Standing at times in complete disbelief at your disposition

 

Nothing and nobody could have prepared us

For this, the life we chose to share with you

A myriad of experiences

Adventures, heartaches and joy

Arriving on your soil two decades ago

You presented a unique opportunity for growth

My journey matured with each brave step I took

Emerging to create its own symphony of harmonies 

From being stared at as an alien

Lonely and in fear of the unknown

To embracing the invigorating times when I felt 

I owned you completely

I have cried about you

I have hated everything you represent

Your unrelenting disregard for that which is Life

Obliterating all with no purpose in your quest for supremacy

There is no denying the harshness of your energy  

The ferocious velocity that is your pace

The depth of the sacrifices made in the name of progress

How deadly  your heavens can be

Your icy facade exudes a callousness

Appearing stark and intimidating

The power you yield immense

Unleashed to create and control

Everything about you is extreme

Your subway systems

Your traffic congestion

At times your wealth vulgar in its display and magnitude 

Creations of gigantic proportions

Embedded within your ring roads

Manipulator of temperatures, rain and snow

The destiny of a people too

I have stood tall and deeply proud of you

Always remaining in awe 

Disbelieving of your abilities and achievements

Forever unsurpassed 

An honour it was to share the Olympics with you

Ingenious designs and planning

Portrayed to all Mankind the meaning of perfection 

Inspired the world you surely did

Despite your complexities

Your deficiencies and authority 

I love you deeply 

Your place in my heart is forever held 

You provided the platform on which to build my dreams

The components with which to make them reality

The tools of Life

The wisdom to enlighten me

From within your strong arms came the challenges needed

Your breath provided a deeper appreciation of wellness

Your energy gave me the ability to resist forces unwanted

The power of you

Though at times it was painful

You guided me into becoming who I am now

For that I thank you

Will forever be grateful to you

Beijing

With heavy heart I bid thee farewell