Home Thoughts From Abroad

Always ready to eat one more meal, especially if it means a chance to visit with family, we packed in brunch at an outdoor cafe on College Street on our last day in Toronto. Steve’s brother, a writer, editor and film critic of national recognition, showed up looking much younger than his sixty plus years.

Also on hand was Steve’s neice Sarah-Jane and her boyfriend, Michael, who has just finished his undergraduate degree and is considering his options for post-graduate studies. Sarah-Jane looked as relaxed and content as we have seen. Michael seems like a very decent young man with a bright future ahead of him, and they looked pretty happy in each other’s company.

Talk was as light as the occasion, and with the sun shining warmly on the patio where we ate, it felt good to be in Toronto in the summertime with family doing normal things. Our lives are so packed, and while we recognize the importance of staying focused on the challenges we face in Asia, it is a real relief to just relax and enjoy the simple things once in a while. They seem to pass so quickly.