第1833期：2023 Wrap-up: Life Nuggets I Gathered Along the Way

2024 is nigh. So close that I can almost smell its decadence, like old men’s stale breath and musty odor. 

2024 is creeping up on us. So eerie, as if a nosy neighbor were peeking through the curtains.

How was your 2023?

As I reflect on the entire year, I’ve distilled each month into a word/phrase:

Jan – Liberation (free at last, free at last, free at long fucxing last, thanks to the brave souls)

Feb – Festivity (Super Bowl LVII in the U.S., Spring Festival in Greater China) 

Mar – Green (United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 29)

Apr – Ventures (SpaceX launches a cargo mission to the International Space Station) 

May – G7 (G7 summit) 

June – Pride (Annual Pride Month celebrations worldwide)

July – Pedal Power (Tour de France)

Aug – Paralympic Marvels (Tokyo Paralympic Games) 

Sep – iPhone Frenzy (Apple unveils iPhone 15) 

Oct – Terror (October meant Nobel Prizes and Oktoberfest. Then came Oct 7…)

Nov – APEC Summit (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit) 

Dec – Killing (Wars continue…)

My high school English teacher told us that wisdom was an uncountable noun. No one could have “A wisdom” or many “wisdomS.” However, upon reflection, I have realized that I’ve picked up numerous pieces of wisdom.

On Change

Someone said, “Change is like a dance partner – it may step on your toes, but it can also lead to a beautiful rhythm.” In real life, in most cases, you have no dance partner, or you don’t know how to dance. A lonely person even yearns for a toe-stepping partner because it means companionship. After experiencing the changes in 2022, my enthusiasm for change has waned as I’ve realized that many changes bring negativity. Most changes are unnecessary for you but may be inevitable for providence.

On Relationships

I’ve heard, “Friendship is like a good bra – supportive, uplifting, and always close to your heart.” But I wouldn’t say I appreciate counterfeits. There are already too many of them. Don’t seek friendship just because you feel awkward being alone. If making friends makes you look like an idiot or a pauper, stop making them. If making friends makes you feel like an outsider or a burden, consider alternative ways to fill that void. Your spouse is the best and most important friend you can and should have. Be the BFF of your other half. At the end of your life, they are the ones by your bedside as you face death.

Cheers to my beautiful and intelligent wife. Don’t mess with me. My wife is a lawyer:)

On Gratitude

 Develop an attitude of gratitude towards everything and everyone. Say “thank you” often. Instead of saying “sorry” or “my bad” or other nonsense, say “I am sorry.” Keep a gratitude diary or journal. Write a few words every day thanking three people or three things.

On Goals

Everyone claims they have no time and wonders, “Where did all the time go?” It went into their cellphones. Most people don’t lack time. They lack goals and purpose in life. On the first day of the new year, write down three things you desire most for the year. Ponder deeply, think twice, and choose only one. That’s the thing you want the most. Make it your goal for the year. Create a plan to achieve that goal and write down the necessary steps. Stay focused on your goal throughout the year, like a dedicated goalkeeper on a soccer field.

On Death

 View death as the checkout line in the supermarket. Wait for your turn. It will come. Do you think the older woman in front of you bought too much stuff? Is it good or bad for you? Take it easy. Your turn will come. But I bet you don’t want your turn too early if you make the death-supermarket analogy. 

I know. I don’t like supermarkets either. I quit smoking after puffing for 28 years, afraid of death.

On Investment

The best investment advice I have ever heard is this: Ask yourself, “Which country is the most powerful country in the world?” Buy its index fund. Invest all your spare money. Keep buying in for 20, 30, 40 years. That’s it. Which country is the most powerful? It depends on you. If you think it’s the DPRK, Russia, Cuba, or Congo, fine. Buy their index funds. Keep buying in. There is a famous book titled “Keep Buying In.” Read it, and you will learn the best investment method in the world.

*Caution: Keep in mind that your perception of the world shapes your understanding and approach to everything.

On hope

“Remember. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” – Andy Dufresne, Shawshank Redemption.

Hope is not blind optimism but a resilient stance in the face of uncertainty. It acknowledges the hardships and setbacks yet remains steadfast in its conviction that good can prevail.

In the tapestry of life, hope weaves its golden thread, infusing our journey with purpose and meaning.

Hope is a good thing. Believe in yourself. Believe in tomorrow. 

So, as we bid adieu to 2023 and welcome the unknowns of 2024, let’s carry these life nuggets with us. May they serve as guiding lights in the darkest times and reminders of the beauty and resilience within us. Embrace the journey, for it is in the twists and turns that life truly comes alive.

With that, I rest my case.

 Ciao, 2023. 

Ola, 2024.