09-12-23
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Some said the most important thing in life is to enjoy uneventful simplicity. Beauty can be found in things that are unadorned and uncomplicated. I disagree and support what the most respectable travel expert Rebecca Lee (李樂詩) in Hong Kong has said, “Nature had 4 seasons—spring, summer, fall and winter. Each has its own light, temperature and weather. Life is nature. So, do great things when you are young. At my age of almost 80, the beauty of life is about happiness which is not related to contributing or achieving anymore. It is about how we treat ourselves.”
Our story is a chain of experience, bitter or sweet, each one of which makes us bigger. Rebecca smiled, “My ‘quota’ has been filled. I stop travelling and adventuring. Hong Kong is my little resting corner. I found peace with myself.”
Rebecca is charming, witty, straightforward, and unpretentious. She came from a middle-class family in Central. Her father ran an ivory products shop on Queen’s Road, Central. Her schooldays were the most artistic time of her life: painting, writing, photography and playing harmonica. She laughed again, “I dreamt of travelling. I looked at the maps and told myself: I had to go here and there.”
After she graduated in 1962, she found a job: artist in an advertising agency. Rebecca said, “The money earned could enable me to travel. I wrote and took photos. I published to share.” Within a few years, Rebecca was able to run her own design studio with her ex-husband Robert Lam. She sighed, “The marriage did not work well. I am glad to be a single and free person now. I don’t need a man to rectify my existence.”
Rebecca continued, “Later in life, I got the contract to take care of the inflight magazine Discovery of Cathay Pacific. I enjoyed immensely the creativity of being the art editor of such a good travel magazine. I was lucky. I got a career that I enjoyed and something that I was interested in. Following this project, I published my own magazine called Pearl Magazine. I put a strong point on the magnificent history, heritage, culture and geography of China.”
She paused, “There came a point in my life when my mind told me that enough was enough. I did not want to run a business anymore. I desired to be a full-time journeyer. So, after some years, I closed down my business and searched the world which did fill me with happy treasures. Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic oceans were learnt. Asia, Europe, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, North America and South America were studied. Experiencing different customs, traditions and artistic performances of other races helped me gain a profound appreciation about human cultures. I have become more open-minded, empathetic and thankful.”
I asked, “How do you define the meaning of money?” She replied, “Money is only a tool. Money never makes a person happy unless he or she knows how to use it correctly. I used money on travel. The real measure of our wealth is the depth of our knowledge, experience and happiness derived from the world.” I deliberately challenged, “Can we learn about a country or place by watching TV and online programs?” Rebecca pretended to frown and said, “You can but it is not good enough. Humans have 5 senses: taste, smell, vision, hearing and touch. The real world allows us to satisfy all the senses. Imagine: when you stand next to a jungle, you delightfully encounter its temperature, humidity and scent.”
I questioned, “You often travelled alone as a woman. Did you feel lonely?” She laughed, “What? A ‘solo trip’ is the best thing on earth: being both physically and emotionally away from the people and the situations that we are too familiar with. Solitude is independence; and independence is the richness of self.” She chuckled, “Besides, I do not like serving others. Social interactions often come with chores which may mean extra emotional obligations.”
I asked, “What is your advice for other solivagants?” Rebecca lowered her eyebrows, “Life can be tough. You keep only the necessary and give up the unnecessary. As a solo traveller, I cut my own hair. I need no face cream or makeup. I have only a few sets of simple clothes. I eat anything. My daily food can simply be a loaf of bread. I can sleep on the deck of a ship. Simplicity is making your journey with just baggage enough. Fewer possessions mean fewer distractions and as a result, you can focus on the beauty of nature surrounding you.”
My curiosity drove me to put forward my final question, “Is it safe for a lady to travel alone?” she winked humorously, “At least safe for me. You look at me. My look is universal and unisexual! It is a kind of protective camouflage!”
Rebecca concluded, “Dream is everything. You, at the end of day, are what you want yourself to be. I have finished my to-do list: I was a photographer, a writer, an editor, a businesswoman and a travel adventurer. At my age, humour and contentment are a great tonic for mind. I don’t expect or wait for anything. My happiness comes from a relationship with what I can easily have and enjoy that to the maximum. I don’t think I am alone in this.”
I wish I could go back in time. I wish I could tell my younger self to correct some mistakes so that I could lead a wonderfully colourful life like that of my idol Rebecca Lee. I suddenly think of a song “When I’m 80”! I hope she can sing for me!
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