Taiwan’s summer heat teaches us to live a calm, slow life
How my mom, who has cardiac amyloidosis, navigates hot weather
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In the middle of a heat wave in the United States, I flew to Taiwan to visit my parents. Even though I had just acclimated to high temperatures in New York and New Jersey, the heat and humidity in Taiwan still shocked me when I stepped out of the airport at 5 a.m.
Heat waves are sweeping the globe this summer. The difference is that in Taiwan, summer lasts longer, and people have developed ways of living that help them adapt to the hot, humid months.
A few days into my trip, I began to think that perhaps this heat-adapted lifestyle isn’t so bad for my mom, who is living with hereditary cardiac amyloidosis. People here tend to plan outdoor activities more intentionally and maintain a calmer pace of life.
The heat that comes from within
When I arrived at my parents’ house last week, it didn’t take long for me to realize I was the only one overheating in the lightly air-conditioned room. Moving around to unpack didn’t help while everyone else was just starting their day. What generated even more heat, though, was my “ASAP” mindset. Exhausted and easily irritated after the long flight, all I wanted was to get everything done right away so I could rest.
I recall that when I was a child, our elementary school didn’t have air conditioning. As we complained about the heat in the classroom, our teachers often tried to settle us with a meditative proverb that roughly translates to: “a calm heart keeps you cool.”
Imagine dozens of sweaty children trying to sit still, hoping for a gentle breeze to appear. It’s fair to say the proverb was beyond most of us at the time.
Back at my parents’ house, drenched in sweat with my T-shirt clinging to my back, I felt like one of those children again. The more agitated I became, the hotter I felt. It took me several days to adjust my mindset. There are, of course, truly urgent matters in life, but I was wasting energy rushing for trivial things. The consequence was the discomfort of the heat that came from within — something no one else had to endure but me.
This isn’t to say that people here have mastered calmness, but the summer weather does encourage us to practice it every day.
Cherish the precious moments at dawn and after dusk
During the day, the temperature typically reaches the 90s, with humidity pushing the feels-like temperature above 100 F. Being outside is not pleasant, especially in direct sunlight. My mom usually takes her morning walk around 7 a.m., before the sun rises high enough to heat the asphalt. She walks along our dead-end alley, which is fully shaded by the rows of houses on both sides. Later in the morning, the sun angles in, taking over the alley inch by inch and filling it with glaring light.
Most people here avoid being outdoors during the sweltering hours if they can. The next comfortable window for being outside comes in the evening. It’s no surprise that night markets are popular in towns, villages, and cities across Taiwan. Evening life was an important part of my childhood: sampling street foods from stall to stall, playing night market games, or simply sitting outside the house with my family to enjoy desserts, fruit, and tea in the cool evening air.
After living in the U.S. for nearly two decades, I had almost forgotten these summer rhythms from my hometown. I often joke that the heat is one reason I left Taiwan, but returning in the summer and seeing how my parents are, I’ve come to appreciate what the summer heat has taught us.
Even though I call and check in on my mom often, I learn far more about her life by being with her. Her steady routines carry a kind of wisdom — ways of living with her medical condition and adapting to the weather.
I know the proverb “a calm heart keeps you cool” may sound impractical to many people in the U.S., but it still helps to remember to “keep calm and carry on,” no matter how harsh the outside world may be.
Note: Amyloidosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Amyloidosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to familial amyloid polyneuropathy.
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