The unexpected gift from blogging.
The subtle Beijing winter is approaching.
How do I know?
The weather is turning and the people are changing.
We are nearing the mid-autumn festival in Beijing, which signifies the change in the lunar calendar and also the difference in the weather.
I have been living in Beijing for five years now, so this is my fifth winter, and usually, it comes on fast. It would transition from summer to winter with nothing more than a casual glance towards autumn.
Well, that was always my impression. But I think that was because I was never paying attention. This year though, with the focus given to me from blogging and journaling, I am a lot more attentive to the world around me. I now have my eyes open, and I am taking in more of the subtle changes of everyday life.
The mix of clothing adorning the bodies of the people waiting at the road crossing is a clear signal of a change in the air. Some shorts on show, t-shirts, long trousers, hoodies and a padded jacket. Yep, a padded jacket. It is twenty-two degrees outside, and this guy beside me is wearing a padded jacket. I am standing here sweating for him.
The other noticeable change are the mopeds. The silent but deadly scooters. You have to be so painfully aware of the quiet bikes as they can zip past you at a pace but without a single tingle of noise. What a fright they can give you if you ignore them. They, the bikes, are changing. They are now being decked out in their padded overcoats, and the riders are much more protected than before. It is not all of them, but one in seven, maybe more, now have their overcoats and handlebar protectors.
This change over is the first time I have noticed this subtleness transformation into winter. It is exciting to see, and I am curious how quickly the winter comes on us now that I am paying attention.
Thank you for blogging. This has been an unexpected gift from you. A gift that has been so carefully unpacked over the last seven months, and only now do I see the gem that is inside. The real gift.
The gift of sight.
For All Life's Adventures 