Blowing In The Wind

When super typhoon Mangkhut began passing through Hong Kong yesterday, I felt an acute dizziness and thought that another old age symptoms was kicking in. I was pretty worried as I was only swimming and enjoying life at the beach just the day before. But when I saw the swaying ceiling lights, I smiled from my heart as I knew it was only that my apartment on the 26/F had begun to sway.

Having had some housing management knowledge and experience decades ago, I knew Hong Kong high-rise buildings were built to withstand strong winds and it was normal for them to sway a bit. I quickly adapted to the little distractions. I refocused on my homework and my intermittent audio-visual entertainment so that I would not find myself missing out on life evenin a stormy day.

I also optimized my use of the App: "MyObservatory" to check out the delayed satellite images to see when the elements would become less ferocious. What was heart-warming was getting well-wishers' messages from afar, as they saw images of Hong Kong-blowing-in-the-wind. First, a relative from Los Angeles, then, a friend from Toronto, and then, another friend from Canberra.

As to the typhoon aftermath, it would take awhile for infrastructural and community services to return to normal. Anticipating that, an afternoon business meeting that I would have to attend was postponed. Although nature does not need us, Hongkongers need each other to survive, to adapt to the change and even to share a communal sense of relief that Hong Kong is no longer blowing in the wind!