MISSING SOMEONE, WAITING FOR PORT.
My Life Journey • Episode 04
I copied every text message from her into my diary by hand.
The phone that received those messages belonged to a friend.
The woman who sent them is now my wife.
When I worked as a seafarer, I was far out at sea while she was in Malaysia.
We kept in touch through text messages, phone calls and letters.
The Nokia Butterfly that connected us belonged to my friend, Agus.
Whenever a message arrived for me, Agus would let me know. Only then could I read her news.
Afterwards, I copied those messages into my diary, one by one.
In my own handwriting.
That was how I kept every text she sent while we were apart.
A phone signal was not always available at sea. Messages could only arrive when the ship approached a port and picked up a signal.
Reaching port also gave me the chance to buy phone credit and make a call.
There was something else I looked forward to: the agent delivering our letters.
I still remember the excitement and joy of receiving a letter from her. I also posted letters whenever I had the opportunity in port.
The envelopes in this photograph are among those I have kept.
The address includes my name, Bunga Mas 10 and the MISC agency in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
More than two decades later, these envelopes still take me back to the feeling of waiting for news from someone I missed.
Thinking about it today, I wish to say to my wife:
“Back then, we found ways to keep in touch across the distance.
There were texts I read on Agus’s phone. There were letters I waited to receive in port.
Now we can look back at these envelopes together.
I’m grateful we kept that relationship going, one message at a time.”
I also remember Agus’s kindness. Through his phone, I could receive messages from someone who meant so much to me.
Perhaps you have waited for news like this too.
A partner working far away. Different working hours. Finding a chance to talk around each other’s responsibilities.
That experience taught me to appreciate every opportunity to connect.
When you have time to talk, give the other person your attention. Ask how their day went and listen to their stories. There may be something small they have been waiting to share with you.
A simple effort can become a lasting memory.
Back then, I preserved her words in my handwriting.
Today, I’m grateful to look back on that journey with the woman who is now my wife.
What memories of waiting for a letter, a text or a call from someone you love do you still carry today?
PMr. Mohd Hawarie Tan Muzi
In Episode 05, I’ll share the experience that made me think more deeply about time with family and the direction of my life as a seafarer.
#CatatanPerjalananSaya #Hawarie #RinduDariLaut