A Tug-of-War Between Character and Destiny

Character shapes destiny, 

and destiny, in turn, reshapes character. 

Character then boomerangs back 

to impact destiny. 

In this continuous, revolving loop, 

at any frozen moment in life, 

inherent traits and environmental influences 

are always locked in 

a tug-of-war.

性格影响命運，

命運又返轉頭影响性格

性格又回力鏢再影响命運

如此迴轉影响，

在生命中任何那點定格，

先天和後天都在角力。

My Little Lover「DESTINY」

If I could feel you, 

If my feelings could reach you a little more, 

That my tears would overflow— 

I have only just remembered that right now.

The signals from my heart are in disarray, 

I laugh at myself for swaying between two extremes. 

Unable to even make sense of things anymore, 

I was unravelling the days as they passed by. 

The present moment begins to spin right here. 

The closer I get, the further away it feels, 

Swaying like the ocean, 

But if you are swimming out there too, 

We will surely meet when the time of fate arrives.

Entwining our fingers together, conveying 

The fragility and beauty of this life. 

Even if this world comes to an end, 

If I can just remember you, 

If I can feel you even more, 

That my tears would overflow— 

Even though I knew it all along, all along. 

I love you, I love you, 

With just those simple words.

The closer I get, 

the further away it feels, 

My feelings are still swaying, 

But if I could embrace you, 

If I can feel you even more, 

That my tears would overflow— 

Even though I knew it all along, all along.

如果我能感受到你 

如果我的心意能更深地傳達給你 

淚水便會奪眶而出—— 

此時此刻，我終於想起了這件事

來自內心的信號正一片混亂 

我嘲笑著在兩個極端之間搖擺不定的自己 

連自圓其說都已經做不到 

只能任由流逝的逝水年華自我解嘲 

而「現在」正於此處開始轉動 

越是靠近，卻顯得越發遙遠 

雖然像大海一樣搖晃不定 

但如果你也正身在其中向前游著 

在命運到來之時，我們一定能相遇

十指緊扣，藉此傳遞著 

這段生命的脆弱與美麗 

即便這個世界走向終結 

只要我想起你 

只要能更深地感受到你 

淚水便會奪眶而出—— 

明明我一直、一直都是知道的啊 

我愛你，我愛你 

僅僅憑著這句簡單的話語

越是靠近，卻顯得越發遙遠 

我的心意雖然仍在搖擺不定 

但只要我能緊緊擁抱你 

只要能更深地感受到你 

淚水便會奪眶而出—— 

明明我一直、

一直都是知道的啊

Funny Routines

Life is mainly a series of routines. 

The art of living is to find 

the most fun in those routines.

 

Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner

I am sitting 

In the morning 

At the diner 

On the corner 

I am waiting 

At the counter 

For the man 

To pour the coffee 

And he fills it 

Only halfway 

And before 

I even argue 

He is looking 

Out the window 

At somebody 

Coming in 

"It is always 

Nice to see you" 

Says the man 

Behind the counter 

To the woman 

Who has come in 

She is shaking 

Her umbrella 

And I look 

The other way 

As they are kissing 

Their hellos 

And I'm pretending 

Not to see them 

And instead 

I pour the milk 

I open 

Up the paper 

There's a story 

Of an actor 

Who had died 

While he was drinking 

It was no one 

I had heard of 

And I'm turning 

To the horoscope 

And looking 

For the funnies 

When I'm feeling 

Someone watching me 

And so 

I raise my head 

There's a woman 

On the outside 

Looking inside 

Does she see me? 

No, she does not 

Really see me 

'Cause she sees 

Her own reflection 

And I'm trying 

Not to notice 

That she's hitching 

Up her skirt 

And while she's 

Straightening her stockings 

Her hair 

Has gotten wet 

Oh, this rain 

It will continue 

Through the morning 

As I'm listening 

To the bells 

Of the cathedral 

I am thinking 

Of your voice 

And of the midnight picnic 

Once upon a time 

Before the rain began 

I finish up my coffee 

And it's time to catch the train

Mutual Defensive Mechanism

Some people are very defensive because 

they want to protect themselves from 

being harmed or hurt by others who 

purposely blame them 

when something goes wrong.

Usually, defensive people have difficulty in 

making good friends because 

they are usually very 

reserved and detached 

when interacting with less defensive people, 

who expect more openness from their friends.

However, defensive people can still 

form good friendships with others 

who are similarly defensive. 

This is because both sides maintain 

a safe interaction distance; 

neither can easily 

harm or hurt the other, 

and can be easily 

harmed and hurt by the other.

___

Elton John - Friends

I hope the day will be a lighter highway

For friends are found on every road

Can you ever think of any better way

For the lost and weary travelers to go?

Making friends for the world to see

Let the people know you got what you need

With a friend at hand you will see the light

If your friends are there then every thing's all right

It seems to me a crime that we should age

These fragile times should never slip us by

A time you never can or shall erase

As friends together watch their childhood fly

Making friends for the world to see

Let the people know you got what you need

With a friend at hand you will see the light

If your friends are there then every thing's all right

Making friends for the world to see

Let the people know you got what you need

With a friend at hand you will see the light

If your friends are there then every thing's all right

To Celebrate the Father's Day or Not

Mother’s Day has just passed in May.

Father’s Day is coming soon in June.

From my own observations,

over the past ten or twenty years 

in Hong Kong, 

Mother’s Day has always been

much more popular than Father’s Day.

In general, many fathers are more reserved

when it comes to expressing feelings.

So children often respond in a similar quiet way—

communicating with their fathers less openly,

and showing affection more subtly.

That’s why fewer people will

make a big, public show of

celebrating Father’s Day.

Fathers also rarely take the initiative to

ask their children to celebrate Father’s Day.

Compared with that, mothers are different—

they’re often more likely to ask 

their children to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Maybe, more everyday reason is

how the business world works.

There are fewer businesses

promoting their products or services 

for Father’s Day—

（specially florists.

Since not many fathers are

truly excited about receiving flowers）,

children naturally feel 

less pressure to celebrate.

But honestly,

whether we celebrate Father’s Day or not—

it’s mostly just a formality.

Sometimes your father suddenly

becomes gentle and

shares a few pieces of advice with you.

Better listen carefully.

It takes a lot of courage for him to

say those words out loud.

Cat Stevens - Father and Son

It's not time to make a change

Just relax, take it easy

You're still young, that's your fault

There's so much you have to know

Find a girl, settle down

If you want you can marry

Look at me, I am old but I'm happy

I was once like you are now and 

I know that it's not easy

To be calm when you've found 

something going on

But take your time, think a lot

Think of everything you've got

For you will still be here tomorrow but 

your dreams may not

Oh, how can I try to explain?

'Cause when I do he turns away again

It's always been the same, same old story

From the moment I could talk

 I was ordered to listen

Now there's a way and 

I know that I have to go away

I know I have to go

It's not time to make a change

Just sit down, take it slowly

You're still young, that's your fault

There's so much you have to go through

Find a girl, settle down

If you want you can marry

Look at me, I am old but I am happy

All the times that I've cried

Keepin' all the things I knew inside

It's hard but it's harder to ignore it

If they were right I'd agree

But it's them they know, not me

Now there's a way and

 I know that I have to go away

I know I have to go

五月的母親節剛過去，

六月的父親節快來了。

個人觀察，香港近十多二十年，

母親節遠比父親節受歡迎。

一般的父親對子女的

感情表達都較為內歛，

子女於是也多回應以內歛的方式

與父親溝通及作感情交流。 

於是也少主動高調為父親慶祝父親節。

做父親的也很少主動要求

子女為她慶祝父親節。

相比之下，做母親就不同了，

她們會更主動要求

子女為她慶祝母親節。

更生活日常的原因是，在商業世界，

較少商家會借父親節促銷其業務或產品，

尤其是送花業務，

很少父親會很熱衷收到花禮物的。

因此子女也較少在群眾壓力下慶祝父親節。

其實慶不慶祝父親節，

儀式而已。

有時父親突然很溫柔說給你聽

他的幾句意見，

請好好聆聽，

他也需要鼓起很大的勇氣才

說得出那幾句意見。

Blossom Together

If being the flower of the plant

with its flowering season in mid-June—

take this chance to blossom

with the other flowers of the season,

see who is the loveliest.

Blooming too early feels isolating;

blooming too late feels lonely.

若是這種六月中是花期的植物的花，

趁著花期與其他同期花一起綻放吧，

還可以互相爭妍鬥麗。

花開得早，會很孤獨；

花開得遲，會很寂寞。

松たか子『花のように』(像花一樣）

當我回望風吹過的風鈴聲時，

我看到了夏天的天空。 

向日葵小路上有個穿白襯衫的男孩 

你消失到哪裡去了？

我只是請你稍等一下。 

我在哪裡看到了這麼多令人眼花撩亂的人？

像花一樣像風一樣永遠在我心裡 

如果可以回去 

如果可以回去 那天的霧霾

送走夏天的煙火突然被我肩膀抱住 

一個痛苦的溫柔的吻而不是告別 

我咬著嘴唇，低著頭走著。 

我還是無法知道你為何流淚

像花一樣像風一樣還在我心裡 

如果可以回去 如果可以回去 

那天的霧霾

如果你現在在這裡，你會怎麼說？ 

還很遠，在我的旅途中，

那個夏天已經很遠了

像花一樣像風一樣永遠在我心裡 

如果可以回去 如果可以回去 

那個夏天

How Fragile All Are

In this age, 

everything is changing fast and 

is more fragile than ever:
Life, feelings, beliefs, love, and faith;
Relationships, careers, jobs, and hobbies...

How do the people involved deal with it?

這個年代，萬事變動越加脆弱：
生命、情感、信念、愛情、信仰；
人情、事業、工作、愛好……
牽涉其中的人如何面對？

___

Sting - Fragile

If blood will flow when 

flesh and steel are one

Drying in the color of the evening sun

Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away

But something in our minds 

will always stay

Perhaps this final act was meant

To clinch a lifetime's argument

That nothing comes from violence and 

nothing ever could

For all those born beneath 

an angry star

Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall

Like tears from a star 

like tears from a star

On and on the rain will say

How fragile we are 

how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall

Like tears from a star 

like tears from a star

On and on the rain will say

How fragile we are 

how fragile we are

How fragile we are 

how fragile we are

Long Time No See

The person you haven’t seen for years, 

and who you haven’t heard from in years.  

Today you met him, 

or today you heard his news.  

Has he changed greatly?  

Is the younger version of him now more mature?  

As for the older version of him—

does he remain full of spirit today?  

The years have passed; 

the environment has changed—

so has his life.  

How did he get through it? 

What has he gained, and what has he lost?  

If he is someone you like, 

then send him more blessings—

Time and life continue moving forward.

多年沒見的人，幾年沒消息的人。  

今日遇見，今日聽到他的消息了。 

 

他有大改變嗎？  

以前年輕的他，現在成熟了嗎？  

以前年老的他，今日仍精神嗎？  

之間的時間流逝了，環境改變了，

他的生活——  

他是如何渡過的呢？

他有什麼增進了，又有什麼掉失？  

他若是你喜歡的人，就送給他更多祝福。

時間與生命，續續前行。

Long Vacation - Piano Solo

All Kinds of Birds Sing

My home was once plagued for years

by flocks of pigeons.

Pigeons don’t really “sing”—

they just emit a low, “gulu gulu” noise, 

and they leave droppings everywhere, 

making the place dirty, shabby, and

foul-smelling—unbearable.

Residents repeatedly complained 

to the authorities, 

and the pigeon-repelling efforts 

eventually worked.

Now we only occasionally

see a few flying by,

and it’s no longer a major nuisance.

But recently, I’ve noticed

some twenty parrots

moving in and staying long-term.

Their loud, ear-splitting chatter 

constantly disturbs me.

I have already lost control and

felt mad.

One evil fades, only for another

to arise—

life has non-stop nuisances

I can never avoid.

我的家居附近多年被白鴿群聚騷擾，

牠們不會唱歌，

淨是發出「咕噜咕噜」低頻雜聲，

且到處排便，污糟邋遢，臭氣難忍。

居民多次向當局投訴，

驅鴿行動終見成效，

現只偶爾看到幾隻飛過，已不足為患。

可是最近又發現十多隻鸚鵡長駐，

吵鬧刮耳，長期被擾好易失控發顛。

一惡減、一惡生，

人生總是不停有控制不了的纏擾。

The Beatles - Blackbird

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

All your life

You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these sunken eyes and learn to see

All your life

You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly

Into the light of a dark black night

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly

Into the light of a dark black night

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

All your life

You were only waiting for this moment to arise

You were only waiting for this moment to arise

You were only waiting for this moment to arise