reading on the mtr during my daily commute to work is something i'd been doing for SO long. having a book in my bag was like having my wallet, phone or keys with me. it was part of my routine, it was familiar, it made my day that much better. i never paid attention to the station announcements as i was too engrossed in my current read; instead, i had memorized the colors of all the stations, so that as i soon as i looked up from my book and out the window, i would know where i was and how many more paragraphs could be read.
not only have i missed my reading addiction in the past few months, i have also missed the mtr. two days ago, i took my new book onto the local train and happily got through an hour long journey. i had to pay more attention to the stations as my color codes don't work here, but that's okay. that sense of familiarity, of owning the journey, of being transported away from my conscious self; these more than made up for the lack of air conditioning, the uncomfortable seats, the unknown stations. holding that book felt like holding a charm, one that would ease my way in this new land. it reminded me of h's advice to find and hold on to the familiar; this is one way to hold on to myself..