A few weekends ago, the city of Taichung was informed that we would be having no work or classes. That meant for the first time in my entire time here, I had a three day weekend that wasn’t a scheduled holiday. Businesses and malls would be open, but I would not have anywhere or anyone to see. No classes to teach. Nothing. And ironically, it also happened to be the same week I finished my latest manuscript and had given myself a proper break from writing my books. I decided there was only one thing to do: reevaluate.
There was an incredible overhaul and reevaluation of everything in my life: priorities, my associations, my health, my goals, and what I wanted most out of the next six months. It seems like a crazy task, but it really wasn’t as intense as it sounds. For me, it was invigorating. Sometimes you need to take a step back to see things clearly. And I think I stepped into this week with a clearer mind and a sharper focus on what’s important.
Aside from all of that insanity, Saturday was the fun day. My friends and I ventured to see Crazy Rich Asians, which I highly recommend to everyone. It was very entertaining! I’d see it a second time, without a doubt. Upon departing the mall, however, we were encountered with a big issue: the rain. I’d left my scooter helmet outside and my rain gear was in my scooter, which would prove to be a problem in any attempt to put it on once I got outside. So I said screw it. Instead I embraced the rain and hopped on my scooter, not caring about any rain that would end up soaking us.
What began as an inspiration from Hilary Duff’s music video for Come Clean ended up in my roommate and I soaked from head to toe. But much like my moment atop the fortress in Kaohsiung, it was another moment I found myself laughing and lost in the moment. My mind was clear and I forgot about all my worries. In a sense, the rain made me just let go. Let go of all my worries about what would happen in the next six months. About whether or not I would be successful in my goals and my plans. About what people would think of me for what I had planned and what was to come. I just let it all go. And something changed for me. It was a switch, and I don’t want to go back to what I felt like before. I don’t think I could if I tried.
So to everyone else on the road who saw the three of us driving by in our scooters, I know that we looked crazy. We probably seemed like the most insane group of girls they’d ever seen, cruising through the city in the evening without a single piece of rain gear on. But hey, don’t judge. We all do what we have to do to feel alive. For some, it’s going to the bar and having a sip of spirits. For others, it’s climbing to the top of a mountain and screaming into the air, full of exhilaration. And for me, it’s drenching myself in rain, giggling like an idiot as we raced home, letting all my worries wash away.
Whatever you have to do to make you feel at peace and that rush of adrenaline, don’t ever lose sight of it. No matter what you do, never forget the small things that create the brightest moments. Even if you have to dance in the rain with no one else around you, don’t be afraid to beat to the rhythm of your own drum.
