Day 88: "The lower you go, the higher you fly."

This last day of my "Thanksgiving break" was exhilarating, enriching, and exhausting.

I read Sonnet 88 (which I really like) on the way to Omar's house this summery morning.


Papa and I then picked up Omar and headed into DC, where we met Jess for coffee at my favorite Starbucks (18th and H).

Talking to Jess never, ever, EVER fails to amaze me, and it was fun to share this amazement with Omar today. He and I emerged from our coffee conversation overwhelmed with optimism and the feeling that no challenge in this world is insurmountable.

On the way back to Reston, my brother Jacob called as he awaited his flight at the airport -- all the best, brother!

When we dropped Omar back home, I got to see the light of my life -- HAMZA AKRAM! We took a family photo and made plans to bring Hamza over to our house next weekend.


I arrived home to requests for a "sisterdate" from my own treasure, the one-of-a-kind Miss Priya Gill. We spent the next few hours at the mall window-shopping, catching up on all the latest in life, and texting Daniel Kim (one of the Gill sisters' favorite friends).


After a quick touchdown at home to freshen up (during which my bro Kenneson called), we again headed out, this time on a very special "errand." This excursion was to Dulles International Airport to see off Laura Kambourian (the world's most precious angel) and Jenn Kambourian (her awesomely supportive stepmom) as they left for Paris. Laura will be spending at least the next month of her gap year in France, and the following four months all over Europe. So, this "farewell" was for the next five months. I of course won't know what to do with myself while Laura is away, but I am so utterly excited for the ineffable adventures she will have abroad. What a brave girl.


One demonstration of this courage is Laura's decision to deactivate her Facebook account for at least the first 100 days that she is abroad. As a bit of a Facebook addict myself, I decided to join her in this endeavor, and so we spent a momentous moment at Dulles deactivating both of our accounts at the same time. (I hope you all will visit me here at "365 Gap Days" and write to Laura and me at LauraKambourian@gmail.com and Ratna113@gmail.com respectively!)

Already filled with saudades as I returned home, it was time for a soulful jam session with Priya on the piano before calling it a night. Here's wishing all of my friends in school good luck for the end of the semester, and my few friends not in school best wishes for their plentiful plucky pursuits!

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