Breathing Lessons

As children, we were taught at school the greatest secret to life. Breathe in. Breathe out. Bees do it. Even your average weed in the garden do it. From physical education classes in our shorty shorts to stuffy classrooms with our hands folded neatly on the desk, we have been constantly told to inhale, exhale. Before the morning prayer. Before a game. Before exams.

As we grow older, the exercise of inhaling and exhaling becomes more necessary. To regain composure after a stumble. To restrain yourself from strangling a client. To take a puff from a cigarette. Deeper inhales after smoking too much. Beathing calisthenics as you reach orgasm. Rhythmic exhales when one is pushing a life out to this world.

Struggling to breathe as we grow older.

Breathing is natural. As natural as breathing, the saying goes. It's the only task our brain tells us to do when we're sleeping. And still, it sometimes feels like we have forgotten to. Let's take a breather, we usually say. As if we've stopped processing oxygen. As if we've held our breaths in the middle of meetings, arguments, breakdowns.

I am exhausted.

It's time for that breathing exercise. In Hong Kong. Will be leaving this Tuesday with W. Vacation?, people are inclined to ask.

Just taking a breather folks.