Getting in touch with self and family

Europeans are so good at creating space. In England, we have well-designed gardens. Its design- simple yet elegant, aims to provide space for your reflection as you walk. The more you walk, the more you want to walk and indulge in the breeze and silence. The space brings you back to your deepest self, your inner voice.

In Berlin, a hassle bustle city, they create space with their policies. On Sundays, you can’t find shopping malls opened, in fact I heard it’s illegal to operate except for diners and restaurants. The policy creates space and time for families and friends. The only pastime is to stay home with family or friends or dine out with them. With less distraction, all of them get more of each relationship. No wonder German families have become the ever strongest and closest in history.

Yet in Hong Kong, such a small city, I marvel how we could squeeze so much into it – shopping malls are less than a mile away, shops open 24/7 and some even on Chinese New Year, a time where we celebrate the wholeness of a family and harmony.

What makes us want to stuff so many things in our city? What makes us pack our schedules from Monday to Sunday? What did I not understand or afraid? And why am I afraid to be free or to have nothing on the itinerary?