A Sense Of Proportion
I learned some important things about myself this summer, by taking three short holidays in different places outside Hong Kong.
First was a five day, four night visit to Singapore, a city I very much like – for up to 72 hours, after that the attraction palls a bit. Nevertheless I got some good relaxation in Sentosa and ate some fabulous seafood at Clarke Quay (that black pepper crab is to die for) with the inevitable result: two kilos added to my weight. Once back in Hong Kong it took only a week to recover the progress of my 10 month old diet. Still down by 20 kg!
Alas they say pride goeth before a fall. Then came three nights in Macao, a short sojourn back home, followed by a solo week in UK. The end of month weigh-in told the tale: the two kg were back and it took another week to lose the first of them.
Nonetheless I do not begrudge the holidays. The first lesson I was reminded of was that getting out of Hong Kong from time to time is absolutely vital if one is to retain a sense of proportion. We tend to become absorbed with our own navels and we need to step back to rediscover perspective. The second lesson is that going on a diet is a solemn commitment which requires absolute discipline. It took 10 months to lose 20 kg and achieve a reasonable weight. Even the slightest lapse puts those achievements at risk.
But there are also other priorities in life. In the UK I polished relations with my best friends from school and college, visited my 102-year-old stepmother and my 56 year old younger brother, and rediscovered the bench in Kew Gardens dedicated to the memory of my mother and sister. Those things are important too.
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