Chapter 13
[EN]
"Life is not to be lived in a rush" -MC 2025 – Part 1
◼️Hello 2025! 新年快樂兒!
To my dear readers, my warmest welcome (back) and kind regards for following my project so attentively following my 3-month break. It is mind-blowing how I am currently sitting at my desk writing chapter 13 already. This is taking me back to the days in my studio in Coventry, where I would spend countless hours scrambling my brain to decipher the best way to translate my thoughts into written content that would be true to myself, yet mildly engaging.
To me, life doesn’t revolve around my wages, my goods, or my social media likes. Of course I can’t overlook the fact that I work diligently to live a good life and we all need certain resources, financial security and relationships to do just that. However, I myself can still feel deeply dispirited if a larger sense of purpose and meaning is missing from it. The way I choose to manage that feeling is by dedicating myself to a job that provides more than just a payroll check, and relationships that go beyond companionship and small talk. Not mutually-beneficial, but mutually-enriching.
In my life I tend to search for meaning in everything I do. I’ve once questioned why I have such a need and realised that otherwise --> I find it hard to give life a purpose strong enough to make me get out of bed every morning. In that scenario all the colours would turn grey, so my question to you is: To a certain extent, aren’t we all the same? Don’t we all look for something greater than ourselves at some point?
Every single word that is written on my blog, which I share publicly with you dear readers, has a purpose. Nothing is chosen randomly – which is why I stubbornly decide to write everything myself in both languages – from beginning to end. It may be more time consuming than simply using a translation app, but unless I do it this way, how can I call it mine? How can I write my name and represent my brand proudly?
Maybe my point of view is biased and somewhat connected to my highly-sensitive nature, but it is an attribute that leads me to conduct esoteric debates in my head and deviate conventional thoughts, as I believe meaninglessness is the enemy of hope.
Putting it in simple terms: I’m the polar opposite of a nihilist.
As a symbolic person I sometimes do things or make decisions that come across very arbitrarily unpredictable to some, yet to me, it just felt like the right time to say or do so. Going with the flow without the need for any other justification for the action brings me to today’s topic --> symbolism ♾️
The ‘Symbolism’ you may recall as the literary movement of the XIX century in Poetry and Arts is far distinct from the form of communication that makes use of a systematic or creative use of abstract representations of concepts. That is the relation I attempt to explore today.
It is true that symbols can convey complex ideas and themes without explicitly stating them. They can boost the visual and sensory experience of a story significantly, but this chapter is less about the symbols we are shown daily and more about how each person perceives the same one, interpreting the story on their own terms.
I find symbolism all around us; in almost everything I do, touch, or feel. It is my way of piecing some pieces of the puzzle together and represents tiny realisations of frugal happiness.
• Stars; The light & the shadow; The sun & the moon; The ocean; 13 & 8; Smiles; Paintbrushes; Keys; Mirrors; Sakura flowers; Snowflakes; Bull terriers •
In retrospect, a series of random words/concepts all jumbled up in a beautiful pie hasn’t quite been my writing modus operandi... Well then… Why is it relevant and where is the connection that links them all together?
In my head.
And in yours.
I once had a friend who came up to me and said: “You could look at a white door and create the most luring backstory. One where the door almost comes alive on paper and has a voice of its own. To me, it is nothing short of a plain white door, but to you, it is a world of possibilities”. That conversation made me realise how unique each perspective truly is. Not once did I ever consider a door simply as an object, I imagined it as a being that needs care and sees everything in the house. A protector; A safeguard of sorts; It knows who enters and who leaves and probably sees shocking things as the years go by…
…aaand before I start going on a tangent and get carried away imagining all the different colours that door could be painted as and how each could be linked to a certain emotion or an era…
…let’s go back to the main topic of this chapter 🔙
Out of the random words I listed, I’d like to focus on the number 13 since it is a widespread questionable lucky number. Having analysed the diverse cultural interpretations of numerology, I found that on the one hand ‘Friday the 13th’ is labelled as one of the unluckiest days in Western culture, to the point where some buildings skip the 13th floor. On the other hand, in the Chinese culture the number symbolises longevity and good fortune, whilst the Babylonians believed it marked transitions and new beginnings – signifying the end of a cycle.
One number; Countless perspectives: some scary, some tragic, some hopeful.
I thought long and hard regarding what to write on chapter 13 and how to approach the topic but I kept getting side-tracked, at times even emotional. Unfortunately, since the start of the Lunar New Year the sky has gained a few more stars up above. The best expression I find that described their vivid spirit on Earth is “a true force of nature”, reminding me of the ocean and therefore dedicating part of this chapter to them in a symbolic way.
‘The multifaceted nuances of the ocean’
Whether literally or figuratively I believe the ocean has a PhD in wisdom and depth. Its disparity is felt in how it can remain calm and relaxing to listen to, while facing numerous storms and unhinged tempestuousness. In the end ~ no matter the number of agitated waves it encounters ~ it stands firm providing an ecosystem for new life to be born.
Apart from the obvious and scientific fact that the human body is composed of around 60% water, I see it first and foremost as a symbol of connection. It is a poem without words: what connects me to my family and friends alike scattered in each continent, what links land to land, and what is ultimately responsible for keeping us alive. As it is not an emotional entity, it doesn't think, it doesn't rationalize, it only exists. Its power derives from how awe-inspiring yet potentially destructive the strong currents can be and I believe it is not by chance that tears are the last gift of loyalty.
As a child, when I'd go on holidays or whenever I'd be faced with a large body of water, I'd always stay submerged until my fingertips dried out and my lips turned purple - to the point where my mom would have to then strategically "convince" me to get dressed and go home. At some point in my life, I considered becoming a marine biologist so I could uncover the depths of the ocean floor, as its mysterious aura fascinated me so much.
Ariel was my favourite Disney princess growing up due to my interpretation of the sea as a symbol of vastness, mystery and the unknown, however, what made me bond further with the character was her immensely passionate curiosity towards the world she was born in.
'You can never step your foot in the same river again', but nonetheless dwelling and moving on can concur.
Embracing change, simply put, means not being paralysed by the feelings associated with uncertainty. Living should be celebrated rather than regarded with great fear and apprehension. My late friends showed me how it is possible to age, embracing each stage of life and smiling back at it day in and day out. Choosing to fight for independence and a colourful creative soul that is reluctant to turn grey no matter the external insistence.
I hope their lessons will reach the heavens as well.
Losing someone can feel inexorably painful. 'Just like the tide, people come and go' and the sea is fiercely unpredictable. Sometimes we find ourselves rowing against currents thinking that is the best course of action because everyone else is doing the same thing, but even those we thought would be there all along can disappear in a matter of seconds. The sea manages itself according to what nature keeps providing and it is then up to our inner compass to guide us in the path of less regret. Upon faced with these unpleasant events, we must find it in ourselves to move on at our desired pace and honour the legacy that those who once blessed us with their presence left behind.
'Letting go to foster growth'
Presently I find myself searching the black sand underneath my feet as the underwater city burns. Since the only thing that you can change in an unchangeable situation is your attitude - the next play in this fluid chess board is in each person's hand. It never gets easier, but in times of despair I try to remember that despite the water's ability to put out a fire, it is still possible to light one up from within - if you try hard enough. When we want to profoundly achieve something in life, we find a way even with an allegorical magnesium torch.
Isn't it beautiful how we get to hug the world in a single breath? We just have to want it -Imagine it and it becomes true-◻️
