~:[CH10 - Day 202]:~ Transporting
I could taste the difference, but somehow, this bowl of ramen still transported me to the small ramen counter in Shinjuku Station. Afuri recently opened up a ramen bar in Downtown LA. Previously I had drive up to Cupertino to fulfill my craving, but this was much closer. With the borders closed, almost 18 months later, I am desperately hoping to return to Japan again soon. However, this bowl or ramen provided me some solace as I dreamt about the sound of the train rolling into the station, the crowds crossing the street near the station or the slurps of ramen of the customers. The welcoming of the workers as you walked into the door played in the back of my mind as the steam from the bowl didn't just warm up my face, but also my soul. I was thousands of miles away, but for just a moment, that emptiness within me was fulfilled. Life is full of things that can transport you to a place or time you wish you were. I think the pandemic amplified the impact that these transportations have had. Being separated from my friends, missing out on opportunities and just being able to be present on those very streets has been a struggle, however, in some way, today provided me with a happiness that added one more piece to the puzzle, at least for now. For all of us, we yearn for something we used to do, but at the same time, maybe there can be something that helps fulfill that emptiness until the opportunities we had present themselves once again.
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