because things will never be the same again

this is a post dedicated to my dad

first of all, it's been a year almost i have spent in the UK without my family. it's been a great year, cuz it's been a low year for me... i can never believe myself have lived such a low profile life here(i have everything except money and looks to live a high profile haha that explains everything) and yet liking it so much... well, 人说，"高潮享成就， 低潮享人生" that's the phrase that i have been living with for the past one year. (for those that dont read mandarin, that phrase mean "when your life is on a high tide, you only get to enjoy the success from that high tide, but when you life is on a low tide, thats when you really get to enjoy life." i am sorry that i can't really put all of them in english cuz there are just gonna be something that will be lost in translation when we have to do it... and things will never mean the same again... My dad ever since i was young he has been telling me to live life as modest as i can. and i believe he lived a modest life, and he's enjoying it. not exactly the same, but similar advices always come from my dad whenever i try to show off something, or whenever i get angry with somebody or something... "忍一时风平浪静， 退一步海阔天空； 尽人事， 听天命etc etc..." all modest chinese phrases i always hear from my dad.... but none's better than this one, lets see... when i was having my holidays two years ago, there was one of the mornings that i decided to invite my dad to a breakfast out before he has to go to work. he was reading the papers, he nodded his head and showed me a phrase on the page that he's reading, and after that read it to me, "你快乐吗？ 快乐的人总能在忧虑中找到希望， 不快乐的人总是在希望中找到忧虑。"(it means," are you happy? happy ones always find hope in despair, the non-happy ones always see despair in hope.." and after reading it he smiled and say," let's go breakfast". because my dad and i are the only ones that were in the scene and i dont expect the same scene anymore in my life, i wrote that note down on a piece of paper and nailed that piece of paper on my heart.

Are you happy??

One of the happiest person i have seen in my life, contented with everything he has, is my dad. a GP doctor in a small town, missed his chance to be a specialist, and after that witnessed many of his peers now multimillionaire specialist doctors, there was once i some how asked," dad, did you regret not taking the further step to being a specialist?" dad answered," there's nothing much to regret, so if i became one, and if you're here this moment you could have just asked the same question the other way round." he continued," not all of my friends that became specialists have a family like i do, some are even still not married yet, and not all of them are as happy as i am now i suppose."

A 54 year old man that enjoys plain white rice with some soy sauce for supper can't be unhappy with his life, believe me... although i would prefer it with a few drops of sesame oil =P... living simple life like that is just as happy.

i didn't realise low profile life can be that happy until i am here, in the UK.. cold weather calms me down and allows me good time and space to think(yes, think and grow rich), especially during the winter that i was not allowed to move much due to an injury on my ankle(still hurts now, but good enough for modest life with some modest sports).

just to pass a message to all of you, when you're running on a high tide of your life, most of the time it's the people around you that enjoy your life, not you.. what's for you are those people that are there to enjoy your life... although it seems more attractive to live a high profile life really when everyone knows your name, but keep yourself down if possible. there are enough of good things around you, or there could be some really good people waiting for you in the next corner you're gonna make a turn. they are there.. =)

just like the scenery at the lake that i jog(used to jog) everyday, they've been there, they're there and they will be there all the time. but unless i stop for it i dont get a good view of the scenery..

all right, last but not least a last phrase from my dad... he once said one of his patient said this," 唉， 一个人一世能吃几多用几多真的好像是天注定了的。。"

my dad answered,"那你早吃完早用完你不是早完一世？"

i assume god has gave us some set amount of good things in life although i dont really believe in god. but if that assumption is correct then spending it slowly is a wise thing to do. live life modestly.. and you get to live longer.. thats the logic. haha.....

things will never be the same again because my dad turns 54 today!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!

LOVE
SOON YEE