The Siamerican

‘Popular,’ ‘Cool,’ ‘Down,’ ‘Kickin,’ ‘Diggin,’ ‘Talkative,’ ‘Friendly,’–such are words  often used to describe and be associated with sociably minded folks. As a University student pushing 25 who finds himself overly concerned with trivial affairs at times, the Siamerican regularly ponders such words and their respective value and worth abreast his constantly evolving psyche.

Thinking back to a time when friends seemed the world in contrast to the present where those who would deliver truest in times of need could be counted on one hand, the Siamerican is left to recall wise words from his parents who once  forebode how ‘friendship’ would take on a whole new meaning as an adult. “People you thought you knew, trusted, and could rely on will change and show their true colors in the darkest of times–friends are unimportant in the real world and will prove to let you down”, they would warn. ‘Between family and work, a responsible adult has no time or need for friends’ …and on and on to the point that adulthood was something vague in the distant horizon where it belonged.

And for a quite a few years, beyond the sky and land has been conquered. Aside from legally being able to engage in drunkenness, gambling, or pursuance of other age-restricted activities across the globe,  the transition from kid to adult has been an abrupt yet gradual process meaningfully burning the wick over the years;  Been independently generating income and physical living for over a decade, now with his very own family and all the obligation and responsibility that entails, yet, the Siamerican has yet to fully abandon his personal value in social affairs and friends despite the words of his elders. While not taking the extremeness to become an anti-socialite–as it would be an injustice to the greater society–time and growth does call for reassessment and realigning of priorities and meanings.

O’ ye, the wisdom burns brighter and truer as the Chinaman’s beard  grows longer. The Siaemerican has come to conclude that it is not so much the people themselves that change when one grows up, but it is their purpose, value and contribution to ones existence that changes, more so. For someone without a broad future of harmonious professional prosperity in mind i.e. childhood and adolescence, friends fill a void to provide companionship, acquaintance,  and even surveillance and contrast for personal growth. However, when one clearly has his/her priorities and goals set, and can achieve companionship and surveilance from those who most rely on the mutual benefit and need if not the mass media, than most ‘friends’ simply become ‘acquaintances.’–passing each other by, saying hi, saying goodbye, inquiring about the weather and their lives when inside you care not what they say as much as they care not to tell you, yet it is a social obligation and formality to act out the facade of caring and concern.

So why continue to wear the masks? The word bridges comes to mind. As one gets older and more oriented in and reliant on intricate social and professional networks, the need and value for connections and bridges grows stronger. While a bridge may not seem necessary to cross at the present time, there could be a time in the future when certain crossings that previously seemed worthless will become essential and invaluable. The key then is to keep as many bridges at minimal, crossable, particularly those that have potential paths to fruitful lands. However, it is imperative not to invest too much maintenance and building expense on to any one particular bridge, for in the Rivers of society, the durable crossings can only be built halfway, joined in the middle by both parties, and any over-building and maintenance by one particular side can and will prompt unpleasant collapse.

So how’s the weather on your side of the river?