It's not a serene walk. No, I'm surrounded by honking cars and motos and furious cyclists all eager to return home to a steaming plate of noodles after a long day in the office. The roads are more congested and chaotic than at any other time of day, and crossing the street on foot is a near impossible task. Fruit vendors wearily beg me to purchase an apple, a kilo of bananas so they too can end the day with a profit. Even the fuzzy street puppies, who stumble drowsily through the day, awaken and bark and scatter, running from door to door and nipping my heels.
I ignore all of this though, and hum along with the victorious melody of the ice cream truck instead.
Before my last turn, I pass a row of three story houses with beige gated garage doors and droopy hanging orchids. Atop the end house, I always see a grayed septuagenarian calmly practicing the art of tai chi. She stands on the flat roof with her eyes closed wearing a dark, cotton pajama set while her arms and feet are in constant motion. Though I am many meters away on the street, I can tell she is at peace as she harnesses the earth's energy. She is smiling with the wisdom of a woman who has seen many good days and many bad days and has learned to find balance. The street around me seems calmer when I pass her as if she is the center of a field of serenity. It is a soothing moment in my day.
A few paces later, I reach another hectic street crossing.
