pause

Outside, the rain goes pitter-patter. Inside, Chris Martin beckons me to abandon my plans for the day.

Forget the gym.
Screw the haircut.
Postpone work.

I think about the everyday chop-chop-let’s-get-things-done routine that I’ve grown so used to. It’s a routine that ensures a relatively comfortable life at the end of each month. But true to my Chinese nature, there’s always more to want.

And yet, when you think about the simple things in life — rainy afternoons, the chance to hide under sheets, surprises, sushi breakfasts, piggybacks, movie dates, ice cream under a shining sun to the sound of calm waves, cuddles, hearty home-cooked meals, morning hugs, midday hellos, quiet walks with the ones who fit, snail mail letters, sleeping in, a few good friends, chicken soup, massages, dim sum, forehead pecks, the right tunes at the right time, being silly, thumb games, car rides, post its, mamee snacks, singing out of tune, stupid jokes, childhood pictures, late-night/early morning suppers and all the other things you’ve missed but are beginning to forget — you can’t help but wonder: aren’t you getting the shorter end of the stick?