Something in the rain
Image credit: @resetnyc
Thank you so much!
When someone praises you, do you shy away, or belittle what you just did? That's an automatic knee-jerk response from me - and I've been constantly reminded in recent years to be gracious, to say thank you, and to accept the gift of what the person just offered.
I'm writing this as the rain continues pouring down on the second day of the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, after a most random trip to the neighbourhood (downstairs, lah) supermarket an hour ago. As I was juggling my groceries and selecting another song on Spotify to listen to for the walk back, I hear, "Medha! Happy new year!" and I see a friend and her family.
We catch up briefly, exchanging festive greetings, and because her family was heading to dinner around the corner, my body language (I bet) was already preparing to move away to let her get on with the meal. Her next words stopped me in my steps. She shared that the help I gave through a phone call, and a visit to her house a few years ago, really helped her through a very rough patch in her life. "It may have been just a visit to you, but to me, you helped me so much." Tbh I really saw that as just a visit to an ex-colleague's house, a catch up because we did work closely as a team, but what was invisible to me back then was the struggle that she was going through. Please, this is not any bit of a humble brag that oh, I helped someone wow, because I wasn't even aware of the magnitude she ascribed to the interaction, but I sure am glad to learn that when she needed help, there was someone there for her.
Maybe that's why we feel nourished after being in the presence of people who listen and show up when we most need help. You never know when what you say, that five minutes of mindful attention you may extend a friend, an acquaintance, could change things for the other. Age, rain and all, we both parted a little teary-eyed, and that bit readier for the year ahead.
Something in the rain
In this cold weather (yes, 25°C is already sweater weather for me), all I can think about is hot soup. But cold weather also means songs to drift off to, so here are a handful of oldies but goodies that have found their way into my playlist recently:
Rachel Yamagata's Something in the Rain
Urban Zakapa's I don't love you
Thelma Aoyama's Soba ni iru ne
Hikaru Utada's First Love
One for the bucketlist
Penmanship is something I hope to improve upon, and I am no where near writing such beautiful and fluid characters. The last I was proud of my Chinese writing was in primary school when I had to do pages upon pages of 习字. I suppose route practice would get you places. One for the bucket list, definitely.
Wishing all a joyful, healthy and prosperous Year of the Rabbit!
Medhā