英倫聖誕無雪，日程刻意留白。謝絕一切聚會，無事非做不可。分分秒秒由我，真真正正唞唞。
Christmas in England arrives without snow, but with a schedule intentionally left blank. No gatherings to attend, nothing must be done. With every minute reclaimed to myself, a proper pause at last.
難得自在，出去走走。步向 Cookham 途上，清勁寒風撲面。腳程慢、指尖冷，卻是難得享受。日常辦公室雖然溫暖，卻有焦慮隨身；此刻換個節奏，呼吸令舍清新。
There is this rare freedom in stepping out. On the way towards Cookham, a brisk wind slows my pace, chills my fingertips, and yet brings a quiet delight. This is a different rhythm from the warm office, where a persistent anxiety lingers. The change of tempo lightens each breath.
途人點頭問好，互祝聖誕快樂。普天同慶之日，祝福本無邊界。無論信仰為何，請容在下引古老溫柔之智慧一言：
Passers-by nod and exchange Christmas wishes. On a day of shared celebration, goodwill knows no boundaries. Regardless of faith, allow me to draw a few lines from the ancient and gentle wisdom:
「凡事有定期，天下每一事務皆有定時。生有時，死有時；栽種有時，拔出有時；哭有時，笑有時；哀慟有時，跳舞有時；沉默有時，說話有時；戰爭有時，和平有時。」
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
《傳道書》謂，勞碌過後，最終剩下的，往往不是大成就，更非戶口那串數字。辛苦得來搵啖食，最難賺多三幾刻，與珍愛之人共處、與自己和解。
Ecclesiastes reminds us that after all the hard work, what remains is seldom a grand achievement, nor the figures in a bank account. Beyond the struggle for a living, hardest is to earn a few extra moments to spend with those we love, and to make peace with ourselves.
願你我生活忙碌之外，亦有靜好之時。哀傷苦痛難免，總能嬉笑一下。尤其世道動盪，平安來得更加悄然。願每人都能找回自己的節奏，不妨慢一點、不妨靜一點，因為好事總是來得悄然。
May we find stillness beyond the busyness, and joy beyond the sorrows. In a turbulent world, peace arrives more quietly than ever. May each of us return to our own rhythm. Slower, quieter if need be. For good things, after all, tend to arrive quietly.