The Little Moments
I will be leaving with a full heat and a desire to come back.
by Anna Hernes
In the past four years of college, I have been slowly learning to live out “being where my feet are.” I’ve found God present in the small moments — driving to clinical, finding a friend in an unexpected place, talking with someone wildly different than me, listening to lectures, and waiting in line for coffee. Now, here in Taiwan, I’m equally trying to appreciate these small moments. Taiwan has been an overwhelmingly beautiful journey that I’ve already gained so much from. Coming in, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but now I have found that the culture is rich and visible on every street corner and friendly smile.
Simply walking through the park gave me opportunity to soak it all in. We didn’t have a pressing agenda or high expectations; we simply appreciated the moment we were in. We watched performers, and although I understood nothing, the culture of the performance was evident through costume, music, and movement. We found a rollerblading rink where moms had cameras out and kids raced one another. We rode stationary bikes that powered mini waterfalls. We watched a small group of girls dance (mainly with their hips) for their grandparents. We saw couples holding hands, walking under the sweet green-covered arches. We walked by people meditating, walking their dogs, listening to music, picnicking, and watching the pond. For these people, these are everyday moments, many of which are similar to things I do at home. However, being in Taiwan has helped me to see beauty in these little moments. I have appreciated the culture of holistic wellbeing, where people rollerblade and dance and walk with their dogs and families.
Specifically getting to go out in the cities and explore for ourselves has been some of the most valuable time for me. This has allowed me to slow down and observe people, learn about them, and have small conversations. Wandering down side streets has given us time to see how day-to-day life happens here in Taiwan. I have first-hand experienced the friendliness of the people.
Once, I turned into a small garden area where a man was working on his plot. When he saw me, I quickly turned to leave, thinking I was maybe intruding on his space. But he looked up with a full smile on his face and invited me to come closer. He showed me what he was planting, the bugs that were crawling on the ground, and the tools he used to garden. This small gesture to invite me in to what he was doing had a large impact on me. I felt moved by his willingness to take time out of his gardening to show me, a random American, what he was doing, all while having a smile on his face.
People here are known to have generous hearts, willing to make connections with one another. They are gentle-spirited, finding more holistic values in life than I have found in my own American culture. Taiwan has been a beautiful landing place for the last month, and I will be leaving with a full heart and a desire to come back.
