Purple Leggings

I hadn't thought that purple leggings would have helped me make a friend on a random Sunday afternoon (2/14), but they did. The day started out slowly, after a late night of dancing in Hollywood, to a quick yoga trip mid-day. Which, by the way, is really sad to admit that I realized it was Chinese New Year with the year of the Tiger. After the yoga instructor wished us a Happy Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year, I thought, "Sh**, this is my year... I'm turning 24... already?!" I feel that I ought to make this year extra special, considering how it will be another transitional time where TFA will be phasing out and perhaps dental school in the near future if all goes well. Not to mention the start of the new decade! For all the stress that I go through daily, whether it is real or just conjured up in my neurotic mind, I've never been happier or felt more confident in my life. I've got
1. a loving and supportive family close by
2. a sweet living situation in Redondo Beach with awesome roommates
3. good health
4. a job that challenges me in every way and in doing so, helped me see my own life and the outside world more clearly

Anyway, I didn't want to sit around inside my apartment alone on a beautiful Sunday, so I finally left my house at 3 PM to go study at a coffee shop. 1 minute walking outside, I turned around and changed the outfit (again), set aside the purse and book, slung on a small backpack, hoisted my bike up the stairs from the basement, and gave a silent "wheeeee" as I petaled toward the beach. What a great decision that was!

The beach and the boardwalk was swarming with people, and it was liberating to weave in and out of the crowd at my own pace. I'm still getting used to doing things on my own, so sometimes it feels unnatural to be alone on a day that a lot of people do things together (but whatever). But it was also satisfying to feel lost in a giant crowd, anonymous yet still able to observe all the comings and goings of other people.

Right around Hermosa Pier, someone behind me said, "I love your leggings! Where did you get them?" It was a girl who looked about my age biking by herself also. One of my favorite pieces of clothing right now is that pair of bright purple leggings with giant cut outs or holes at the bottom... which looks better than it sounds. I told her where, and she said that she wanted to get them too. This was flattering, but I didn't really know what else to say so after a couple more exchanges, I said for her to have a good ride and kept going. However, she and I biked at about the same pace and were going in the same direction, for a good 2-3 minutes, and it didn't look like that would change. Although too shy in the beginning to continue the conversation, I mustered up the courage and spoke with her again. We ended up biking another 1.5 hours together before saying goodbye. We talked about careers, relationships, traveling, and life in general. She turned out to be 33 years old, though she definitely didn't look it! It was so serendipitous to have met someone so easy to talk to and who gave such interesting insight on life. We exchanged numbers and will try to meet again to go on another beach bike ride.

Lately, I've really come to enjoy and feel more comfortable with talking to people who are not just 1-2 years of my age. And it's been exciting to experience the joy of meeting new friends just about anywhere and hearing another person's perspective on anything. After a good 22 years of going from one sheltered bubble to another, it is refreshing and empowering to know that even one of the most shy girls growing up could open up and reach for her personal goals without being held back by fear of embarrassment or failure. I didn't want to be stuck being a passive, shy person all my life. Even now, it is a struggle to actively work against an instinctive behavior to step back and observe instead of doing or taking leadership. And even meeting a new friend outside seems trivial to some more outgoing types... but for me, it's a step among others that makes me feel that I'm moving towards an adulthood and identity that I want.