The 11th Summer Letter🥰｜Autumn Moon, I'll also take a dip 8.26-09.01.2024

I originally planned to use the weekend to go out and experience something new, but the plan was put on hold. This made me ponder: does experience only exist in traveling and exploring? Can I also find new inspiration in the process of stagnation? With these thoughts surging, I turned my exploratory gaze to the plants and trees around me.

Creating at home, over time, always feels somewhat oppressive and dull. I began to wonder: If I move the creative environment from a room surrounded by four walls to the outdoors, would it be different? I took my iPad and decided to head to the Olympic Pavilion.

There is a pond there that I really like. On the table by the pond, squirrels 🐿️ are painted with paint. Residents are leisurely walking their dogs, and a young lady is working beside me with her head down. The fatigue and dullness in my mind miraculously dissipated. ~Grateful 🥹 for the gifts of nature.~

It's Tuesday, I woke up from six hours of sleep, and today I will accompany my uncle to see a cognitive specialist. Recently, my uncle's memory seems to have had some issues.

In my impression, uncle's memory and sense of time are simply like a precise clock. In his mind, there seems to be a living map, time, place, with every detail engraved in it.

Recently, for example, a suitcase that has been used for a long time, suddenly one day, in the aisle of the plane, you try to retract the handle, but find that it just won't close, awkwardly stuck there, blocking everyone's way. A flurry of frantic movements ensues.

When I arrived at the hospital, my originally tense mood relaxed a bit. This hospital was very different from the hospitals in my impression; it didn't have that noisy, chaotic, and cold atmosphere, but rather felt more like a home for the elderly.

The nurses were chatting and laughing in the corridor. What surprised me even more was that there were actually Chinese instructions here, which made me feel incredibly thoughtful.

The doctor is a CBC, her Chinese is not fluent, but she still tries her best to communicate with the uncle.

She asked her uncle to remember five things—apple, flower, car, red, balloon, and then asked him again a few minutes later. Her uncle scratched his head awkwardly and said he couldn't remember any of them.

I was initially a bit surprised, then quietly looked at him, my mind blank. I patted him on the shoulder and said, "You did very well, I might not even remember it!" trying to share a bit of courage with him.

Walking out of the hospital, the morning light had already become bright. It seemed like autumn had truly arrived, with a certain chill in the air.

This medical experience has given me more confidence in this vast system. We may usually complain about its inefficiency, but when we truly need it, it can still provide warmth and support.

The subtle, chilly wind of autumn has been weaving between us for quite some time without us noticing. The trace of unease in my heart is also gradually becoming clear in this morning light.

I wish you all the best, and may you and your family find some warmth and comfort in this relentless flow of time.

This week I discovered something interesting in my teaching. When I talk to students about running, most of them will first immediately think of knee injuries. I wonder if you have similar concerns? Actually, many of these issues are not because of running itself, but because of incorrect running posture and cadence 😊~ This week, many students, after trying out a cadence of 180 steps, received a lot of positive feedback~ I wanted to share this with you~

Running has an ideal frequency, which we call "cadence." A cadence of 180 steps per minute is the most effective. This high cadence can significantly reduce the impact on the knees. Beginners often feel knee pain because their cadence is too low.

When I run, I wear an Apple Watch, which has a cadence option that can be turned on in the settings. If you don't have a watch, try the super slow running video. At the beginning, you can run along with the video for 20 to 30 minutes, gradually adapting to this rhythm. 🎧 This way, the pain in your waist, back, and knees can be greatly alleviated while running.

Did you know that the hospital I went to this week used to be called "Tangren Hospital"? The hospital is very large and offers a wide variety of services, including X-rays, MRI, CT, etc. What impressed me the most was that they provide meals carefully prepared by Chinese chefs, which completely align with the dietary habits of Chinese people.

Out of curiosity, I began to explore the origins of this hospital. When I learned about its history, I was deeply moved. It turns out that this hospital was founded by a group of nuns who came from Quebec to Vancouver. In that era, they provided medical and educational services to Asians, especially the Chinese community.

Those women, in that society filled with hardship and injustice, still move forward resolutely, with care for others and respect for diverse cultures in their hearts. This strength, like a slowly flowing warm current, seeps into my heart, lingering for a long time.

Later, I saw some pictures made by netizens online, telling the origin of this hospital.

This kind of collective memory born from stories connects me with the past, as if telling me: No matter how times change, the forces of resilience, tolerance, and love will always guide you forward~