10 months ago

This photo was taken exactly 10 months ago. The 12th of September 2011, in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, China. I took this photo of my Overseas Community Involvement Programme (OCIP) team mates when we were there, being a part of an environmental project called 

Green Desert by Asian Journeys.

27 of us went there, planted 1133 fir tree saplings. In an attempt to make the desert green. Surely mother earth has returned her favour to us. As we planted those saplings, we do too plant seeds of friendship among us. The friendship forged, memories captured, stories written.

10 months ago I was standing there in our planting site. The day, 12/9/2011 was the day when we finished planting our saplings. I could remember clearly that it was slightly drizzling. I was feeling down, for I know there wouldn’t be any nice sunset to mark this special day. But I was wrong.

The rain stopped, the sky cleared a little. And the sky turned yellowish-orange. It was a nice moment and we all lined up above the railway track near our planting site. I took my camera, I know it would make a nice shot with the sun against their backs. And so I did. And this is what it is.

The memories, the sight of them as I took this photo is now being preserved for eternity. Till one day when I lost it. But then this photo is enough to make me remember that exact moment by which my mates are standing there waiting for their photo to be taken.

The memories of the trip still linger with me like the autumn air that we breathed. The people, the view, the food, the smell, the air, the coldness, everything. Duolun, the blue skies, the cold wind.

I miss them so much.