2023-06-07 #2

Achen, who is pursuing his PhD in Singapore, finally returned to China this year after the pandemic restrictions were lifted. His two-day stay at my place became his fourth stop on this trip back home.

This was the first time I had seen him since graduation.

So, as promised (three years late), I returned the book This Is China that Achen had lent me by mail just before he went abroad.

Since Achen booked a 6:40 AM flight from Pudong, which is 69 km away from my home, we rented a car. After chatting all night, he set off under the stars to get himself to the airport (and I drove back alone to get myself home).

After seeing Achen off, I recalled the days before graduation—almost all of us brimming with ambition, talking about the future with friends, answering our alma mater’s call: to be gallant and vigorous, to manage affairs far and wide, under the vast sky, across high mountains and long rivers, for the light of the world.

Never did I imagine that in the blink of an eye we would be scattered across the country, and that our next reunion would be so much later than the naive promises we made before graduation.

(Good thing I didn’t go to grad school, so I’ve been out of school for a long time and still look young—strikethrough!)

Good thing it wasn’t so long that memories became twisted or friendship grew distant.

So we can still talk about the future and make plans to meet again next year.

On another sleepless night just before graduation, while trying to sum up my college life, I recalled Heisenberg’s reflection on skiing (and life) from the play Copenhagen: “Turn right, turn left, or think about it and die.”

Then I predicted: “I feel that the life ahead will still be full of opportunities to make benign mistakes and moments of making no mistakes at all. The process won’t be easy or pleasant, but it will absolutely be fascinating.”

Did the me who wrote those words back then truly understand the weight of phrases like “strive diligently day after day” and “stay vigilant even in the evening”?

Now that I’ve chosen to start my own business, do I still think so?

😏

Reflections on graduation: https://blog.thrimbda.com/2018/06/21/%E4%B8%BA%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E4%B9%8B%E5%85%89/

Pictures:

1. Achen happily grinding coffee beans.
2. One year after graduation, Achen decided to study abroad and lent me a book, ensuring we would meet again.

• 🧩A Life Fragment