CHAPTER 109

2025-11-28

Writing has become a habit, a practice, a reflection, and a self-healing process. After evaluating myself a year later, my conclusion is that it has benefited my body, mind, will, and spirit — so I have decided to continue for another year.

This piece is the third article of the fifty-second week in the serials A Not-So-Ordinary World and Lun’s World. That means I have now written for a full year, up to three articles every week, first in Chinese then in English, never daring to stop. It has not been particularly hard, but every week there is always something to accomplish — the tasks stay on my mind, keeping my life from becoming too lax and preventing me from growing lazy.

Next year’s articles will include content from my book Lun’s World. The book ends in late 2012. From 2013 to the end of 2016, forty-eight articles were published in S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Monthly (formerly Evergreen Newsletter), continuing the story of Lun’s growth. After revision, I hope to share them with everyone.

Since my official retirement, sharing these articles has become the focus of my life. The steady weekly rhythm makes the days feel more grounded. Rest and recreation between writing sessions become justified and guilt-free. I do not fall into idleness, time passes pleasantly. Thank you all for allowing me to write for a year, and even more for your responses and suggestions.

Friends ask with concern: How does a widower spend his retirement life?

The answer: Hold on to the core, and let intention accompany you.

(1) Release the first article no later than Tuesday, and the third no later than Friday. On Wednesday evenings, have dinner while visiting Lun. All remaining time is spent resting, stretching a little, enjoying entertainment, learning out of curiosity, socialising, and making appointments — such as seeing various doctors or getting blood tests.

(2) The happiest moments are meals with good friends. But before and after those meals, I eat simple and easy-to-digest food — several times a month. This maintains a healthy weight proportion, balanced nutrition, and gives the stomach some rest.

(3) The most relaxing time happens when I feel a bit sleepy and recline on my canvas beach chair with a leg rest: head on a pillow, covered with a thin blanket, facing the turned-on television. Freely and naturally, I open and close my eyes with drowsiness. Before long, my head starts swaying as if about to fall to the floor — then I wake up. I repeat this until my energy returns. When I wake fully, I fold away the “deaf chair.”(Rarely I heard what the TV said.)

This exercise takes anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours and is beneficial to body and mind. Four or five days a week is enough.

(4) Sleep only when tired, but hold to the principle that lingering in bed is like having dessert after a meal: just a taste, then stop. Details:

(4.1) If I have an appointment the next day, set alarms — one battery-powered and one electric — in case of a power outage or oversleeping. For nearby appointments, schedule them early; for those farther away, schedule later to avoid rush-hour traffic and make good use of time.

(4.2) If there is no appointment, assess my physical and mental state before sleep.

– If feeling alert, let the morning light wake me.

– If fatigued and sleepy, adjust the curtains to block the light and sleep until fully rested.

– If I still feel like lingering, allow myself ten more minutes in bed. If I still do not fall asleep, get up and avoid wasting the day and my life

(5) My late wife, Victoria often walks with me in my dreams — usually we are going out leisurely together, weaving through places. I miss her, but I am not sorrowful.

Living this way, I hope to continue until that day comes.