Just sit and admire the rain

We also must persevere.

Coming into this project I knew there would be challenges.  Working in a new country presents unique obstacles and I tried to prepare myself mentally.  Coming from a place where I can get wherever I want, whenever I want, I have become a bit spoiled.  I am always over-scheduling and over-stressing. Upon my arrival here in KL, I knew I needed the lesson in patience.

Sitting on a bus in a jam last night, in the middle of my three hour commute back to the house, it hit me again.  There is no point in getting upset.  My getting frustrated won’t make these cars around me move any faster.  I might as well just sit here and enjoy the view.  There is nothing I have to do tonight that is so urgent that it can’t wait.

What a simple, yet freeing realization.  It reminds me of a story that Ching Ching tells me sometimes. It's about a western couple who get stuck in a rainstorm in KL.  They are so upset over “wasting time waiting” when they could be out seeing tourist attractions.  Then their guide points out how beautiful the rain is.  Often, we are so busy getting frustrated with what is coming up next, or what has just happened, that we miss the pleasure that can be found in the “right now!” 

Learning from Lucy

This lesson has been reinforced every time I see one of the five women from the Portraits of Perseverance project.  If I’m following Lucy throughout her busy day of volunteering or errands, or watching Nisha speak on behalf of the transgendered community.  Observing the grace and kindness with which Sulastri interacts with people in her work and play, or hearing Pong matter-of-factly explain why she puts a smile on each morning.  When I see Ching Ching slaving away in her home office, making calls, writing emails and tirelessly dedicating herself to a cause she believes in, I am reminded that I too have to persevere.

Maybe I have trouble getting used to big city traffic, maybe I feel alone in a new country, maybe it’s frustrating trying to complete a documentary, but I can do it.  I’m already learning so much, not just about journalism, but about life.  These are lessons that I will keep with me forever, lessons that can only be learned through trials.  Tough times can be great opportunities.

By: Morgan Reed