Missed Opportunity?

Few weeks ago I recieved a phone call from my grandma. She along with my grandpa wanted to go visit my dad and family down in Miri, Sarawak and asked me if I wanted to come along. I had never wanted much to do with my dad, since he was not a big part of my life in the first place (long and complicated story). In fact when he offered to provide for my further studies after my NS, I turned him down, I told him I would rather pay my own way. Ever so often when I go to my grandma's place to indulge myself in her home cooked meals that I badly miss. Other family members, aunts, uncles etc. would try to encourage me to talk to my father. Even they sense the hostility.

To top it all off, my mum has even got into the act. Once when she was talking to me about my father, I in my insensitivity tried remind her what happened to their marriage and how they too are also not exactly on talking terms. She replied, "he is your father after all, you should give him a chance." Some part of me wanted to make things right with my father, I did ask God for the chance when He thinks I am ready, so perhaps this phone call from my grandma was that chance.

Sadly, I gave an excuse to my grandma, I told her I wasn't sure if I could take leave now and stalled my decision saying, "see first lah." Probably a knee jerk reaction because I was taken by surprise. But after thinking it through for a few days, I decided that it would be foolish of me to let this chance pass by whether it was divinely appointed or not, so I call my grandma back to tell her I was going.

This was what she told me, "I am not going already lah! The airfare is ridiculous! $700 for a one way ticket! I can fly to Hongkong, fly back and still have shopping money!"

I replied, "but if you go to Senai airport it would be much cheaper and..."

"Cannot lah boy, we old already" my grandma interrupted, "You cannot expect me and grandpa to travel up and down from Johor like that, it is very tiring. Anyway I emailed your father to tell him we are not coming already lah... eh I got to go... call me if you want to come for dinner ok? Bye bye."

Was it a missed opportunity or a door that was divinely closed to prevent me from making a mistake? Maybe the time just isn't right yet. All I know is that God works mysteriously and I just have to go with the flow. Still, I feel that it was an interesting story to blog, hope you liked it.