Untangling the Yarn

Written and narrated by Kaylin Xie.

和 (わ・wa): the state of peace, balance & unity amongst ourselves and others

I thrive off of routine. Every day I wake up at 5:15 am. Get ready and out the door by 5:40 am to drive to the gym. Afterwards I wash up, eat, pack lunch, and get ready for work. I arrive thirty minutes early and start my tasks, prepping for check-ins in the morning. Then the hustle begins. Working, chatting, lunch break, back to work, afternoon walk, and suddenly it is already 5:30 pm. The traffic-filled commute. Change clothes. Do laundry. Eat dinner. Finish laundry. Shower.

And now it’s 9:00 pm. 

Every day feels the same. The comfort of regularity. 

Always looking for the next opportunity.

Yet, there is noise surrounding me constantly within that comfort.

What’s next on the agenda? What’s for dinner? Should I do something this weekend? When is that event happening again? Maybe I should go grocery shopping. I need to fill up my car soon. The fruit is going bad soon, I need to eat them. Oh! I need to figure out a spot to go to with my friend.

The cacophony of future planning is like a tangle of yarn in my brain. 

These burdens feel less heavy when surrounded by the community. By people who are thinking the same thoughts, drifting through their own life, experiencing different events.

The co-existence of humans, all struggling together, yet all thriving together. Acknowledging what is happening, and being there.

Being there is enough

Balance.

It is the natural workings of society.

For every type A, there is a type B. For every lost soul, there is a mentor. For every elder, there is youth.

Wa is going with the flow… Respecting nature by respecting yourself…. Living in harmony with others as you live with yourself.

Wa is…

To recognize.

To relax.

To breathe.