<29> A New Chapter
5/8/25
I just returned from a weeklong trip to Korea, spending 70% of the time with parents and the remainder with relatives & friends. At several times during the trip, I asked parents: “Are you more surprised that your firstborn is now 50 or that you are 80?” Their consistent answer was ‘50’.
Age is just a number (I used to say that as a pickup line in my 20s 😊) but I do sense myself maturing. I was actually able to enjoy the moment with parents – constantly diving into their eyes with a patient smile and absorbing their happiness of seeing their son (though sadly they now only see me once or twice a year, sigh…). It was rather tiring having to eat a lot at every meal, even sensing that Mom’s dexterity of using salt has declined somewhat, but I relished the change of season in both of us. No more You-think-but-I-think of the past 20 years, now purely purely the three words that matter the most in any relationship: I love you.
Speaking of change, I am thinking of adopting a new chapter of my daily routine. For years (probably 7 to 8?), as soon as I got into the office, I listened to Proverbs 15 to start the day. Though I certainly never lived out the advice & wisdom given in that chapter on a daily basis, it nonetheless served as a firm & good springboard. Recently, I’ve been reflecting a lot on Ecclesiastes, a book of understanding the balance of meaningful and meaningless. I am not currently going into the office but when I do (and I’d like to return to work – if you know a place where I can fit in, let me know!), I plan to listen to Ecclesiastes 9 to start the day. It’s a short chapter of 18 verses that talks about common destiny and wisdom of time and chance.
Ecclesiastes 9
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%209&version=NIV
Proverbs 15
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015&version=NIV