Middle age is an age for recollection. The frustrations of youth are gone, with the vicissitudes of life taking its place. Consequently, it is a time when some people choose to let go, while some choose to seize the day...
Jenny is a married 46-year-old who has neither the courage nor desire to have children. When she was young, she witnessed members of her family fall physically and mentally ill. As a six-year-old, she would often ask, “Why are people still suffering even though they have enough to eat and a place to live? What is happiness?” At the age of 17, she met a monk and became acquainted with Buddhism for the first time. Nonetheless, she was still unable to rid herself of her discontent. After graduating from university with a major in Business Studies, she devoted herself to the IT industry. Her career took off at the speed of light, but as she chased after fame and fortune, she felt like she was an empty shell without a soul. In 2004, she decided to change her course in life and studied Clinical Psychology to become a psychologist at a social welfare institution. However, the frontline work exposed her to a lot of negative energy every day, and she could not find an emotional outlet. At one stage, she thought about escaping from Hong Kong as it was no longer the city she was familiar with. In 2015, she resolutely left what others regard as a well-paid job with great benefits to establish a mindfulness centre. The organisation promotes mindfulness, Zen meditation, carefreeness, and happiness for people of all ages, religious beliefs, and occupations. Hong Kong is currently frustrated, lost, and unhappy. Jenny believes that “mindfulness” will help Hong Kongers become aware of their pace and breathing. Is “seizing the day” an attitude towards life for middle-aged individuals or an existing option for all Hong Kongers?
Paully is 41 years old. She is married and has a 5-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter – a combination that others envy. In order to
