CHAPTER 118

2025-12-31

What wishes and life plans do I have for 2026? Let me begin with food.

Each month, I plan to set aside time to go out to eat with my younger son, trying different restaurants and foods we seldom tasted in the past. This idea was prompted by a reminder from an old friend: parents and children should have regular activities together if they wish to maintain close bonds. In the future, he may cultivate the same habit with his own family.

Since entering university, my younger son has begun to train his body seriously. He is meticulous about food types, combinations, portions, and meal timing, and has even bought a small digital scale to measure portions. To build strength and increase muscle mass, he needs high-quality protein. To ensure sufficient intake, he buys his own meat, cooks his own meals, and eats the results of his own labour.

We old folks naturally welcome this, happy to enjoy a more relaxed life. Even so, my wife used to worry that he might not be eating enough, and would often buy takeaway food for him. In the past, when we both worked in Vancouver, we would dine out after work to avoid wasting time stuck in traffic, then head home. Over time, this became a habit—each of us eating separately.

After my wife passed away, our meals became even simpler and lighter. In addition, his work schedule rotates every two weeks, so mealtimes are often irregular, and opportunities to eat together have become even fewer.

In the past, the rhythm of daily life was entirely directed by my wife. I was assigned the role of a “follow-the-orders driver,” using only my limbs and not my brain. The emptiness she left behind has gradually been filled by activities. My emotional ups and downs have largely settled, and I have begun to adapt to living alone more often, finding my own rhythm.

Since mid-year, apart from meeting friends for meals, I have started eating out at least once a week—mainly to treat and entertain myself, to break the monotony of daily life and add a bit of colour.

My younger son also agreed to go out and eat together, and the two of us quickly found common ground.

Beyond family bonding and self-enjoyment, I must also focus my energy on controlling my fatty liver, an undesirable condition. This morning, my family doctor told me that my fatty liver and kidney stone conditions are about the same as last year.

When my liver problems began many years ago, in addition to being a hepatitis B carrier, I also developed fatty liver in adulthood. I must do my best to avoid repeating past mistakes. The stone in my right kidney has disappeared, but a small one has appeared on the left.

Now that I am retired, life is manageable and free of major worries. I should adjust my daily routines, improve my physical condition and health—this is my goal for 2026.