Thoughts in the air

My Shanghai trip ends today. The past three days have made me genuinely happy ^_^. From the moment I landed, I looked around with delight: clean streets, attractive buildings, and an enthusiastic ride-hailing driver. It all felt fresh to me.

That first evening I walked along the Bund and saw the Oriental Pearl Tower. I had visited Shanghai early last year, but only late at night during a flight connection. This trip gave me a fuller view. On the second day I ate local food—spicy pork noodles and pan-fried dumplings—and walked along Wukang Road beneath the plane trees. At night the city felt almost dreamlike.

Today I met Zhua Zhua, a friend I had known online. Meeting an online friend in person still feels wonderfully new. She was warm and sincere. When she learned that I also like red wine, she even offered me a bottle to take home. I was touched by the thought. I hope she can visit me in Guangdong one day.

I am writing this on a flight without internet, a good chance to look back and think ahead. In half an hour I will land in Guangzhou and begin preparing for a different routine. Several of the most important parts of my life are about to change. There are enough unknowns to frighten me, so I am considering what I would do if things go badly. Yet I am excited too, because I want these changes.

In the long run they are necessary. I feel like a dinosaur inside an egg. Sooner or later the shell must break; the question is whether I break it from within or wait for something outside to do it. I would rather act than wait to be pushed. I do not want to become someone I dislike, and making a choice takes both courage and some luck.

The sky beyond the window is black. If I were alone out there, I might hesitate. But I think I would keep going. Somewhere ahead, the sun will rise.