Running in the rain

Yesterday (Saturday) morning, after the typhoon passed through Hong Kong, I went running along the Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade as usual.  It was windy and wet, but it wasn’t raining at first.  After about 10 minutes, however, the rain started again.  Hundreds of tourists cowered under shelters along the promenade. 


The wind must have been coming from the north-east.  When I was running back towards Hong Hom, the wind-blown rain drops stung my face so hard I could barely open my eyes, even with my glasses on.  But it was exhilarating to be splashing defiantly in the rain.  I was reminded of my girls splashing in the rain when they were very young.  We were living in Shatin then.  Whenever it rains, they would put on their colourful rain coats and rubber boots, bring out their little umbrellas, and go splashing in puddles under the rain.  It was a lot of fun. 

It is also a kind of training.  It feels good to know that one can face a little adversity: the tiredness and exhaustion; getting wet and in fact, soaked by the rain; being stung a little by the rain drops; risking getting a cold; ...   These physical challenges are nothing compared to the pressure, indeed oppression imposed by tyrannical powers all over the world.  We need the courage to stand up, to be willing to pay the price, to say that they are wrong, that we will not acquiesce to it.