If water is life, experiencing rain after weeks and weeks of humidity and awful heat is like experiencing reincarnation. Perhaps there is a good reason why religion associates water with purification: baptism, the great flood, amrita, etc. The list goes on.
While most of the northern hemisphere has seen some of the harshest winters in years, Singapore was not without its share of bad weather. From the new year up until today, March 16th, there was absolutely no rain whatsoever on the east coast, and a small sprinkles that don’t really count as rain on the rest of the island. I won’t pretend that a drought in Singapore is anything like a drought in a third world country (we never got to the point of rationing water); yet, when I woke up this morning, I woke to the sound of the land being cleansed, and despite my struggles these past few weeks, I could not help but smile. I quelled the (child-like) urge to run aside and frolic in the rain, so instead, I am sitting on my porch for the first time in a long time, and writing here instead.
While I try not to include too much of my personal goings-on on this blog, I feel like after such a long absence, a short explanation is warranted. These three months marked the longest period of time of time that I experienced absolutely no change in weather, and, combined with the fact that this is the longest period of time I have stayed in just one country for many years, it has been difficult. These three months in the new year have also marked a great deal of change for me. Slowly but surely, I have begun to settle back into a new life in Singapore. I have been frantically busy with work and other things (more on that in a while), and this is why I have been neglecting this space for a while, and for that, I apologize, my loyal readers.
The first and most dominant thing on my mind: after completing my third(!) round of PhD applications and not hearing back positively from any of the schools, I have spent a great deal of time pondering and reflecting my present career path. To cut a long story short, after much thinking and a phone call (to Switzerland) to the greatest supervisor and mentor of all time, I have begun looking for jobs outside academia, at least for the time being. This is a huge shift from the path I had set for myself mentally, and has caused a slight identity crisis on my part.
Another reason I have been missing from the blogosphere: work. That age-old tyrant of the everyday human. This being said, there are worse things, right? Everyone in my life is healthy and happy, and I have been doing much better with my mental health. I still have my dark days, but having a sense of purpose and just feeling safe at home does so much for the mind.
Basically, I have some changes coming up in my life, but I have finally begun to feel more excited than nervous, and seeing the rain outside has helped cement this feeling.
Here’s to the new beginnings and a revitalized sense of purpose in life!
Image from MusicMaster Oldies
Classically Caffeinated Compositions 