"I would have been either 100 percent mother or 100 percent artist. I am not flaky, and I don’t compromise. There are good artists who have children... they are called men," said Tracey Emin, an artist whose works have intrigued me over the years. Hearing this in her featured documentary was quite shocking. She is entitled to her opinion, of course.
This September, I hit the big 5-0 — officially half a century old!
When I was 16, a blind, elderly fortune teller known for his accurate predictions told me that I wouldn’t live past 47. I did have a life-and-death moment around that time, but I came through and broke the "curse."
Now, at the starting line of 50, I am reflecting on the Mandate of Heaven described by Confucius. Have you heard about it?
"At fifty, I understood the Mandate of Heaven." This is Confucius’s way of saying that with age comes wisdom, and by the age of fifty, it’s essential to have a clear sense of values and direction in life.
Here in Sweden, people often ask, "What do you do?" and expect to learn about your professional life. This makes me feel that the purpose of life is closely tied to your job title and the company you work for. When you have both a job title and an establishment, the conversation becomes more elaborate. However, if you don’t, there is often an awkward silence, as there seems to be nothing else to discuss. Maybe we can return to talking about the weather.
I have my share of interesting jobs and experiences, yet my most fulfilling moments come from engaging with people from diverse cultures in the places I've lived—Taiwan, Hawaii, the United States, Sweden, the Emirates, the United Kingdom, and beyond, including those places I’ve visited. I prefer to start conversations by asking where have you been? Who you have met lately or sharing a greeting from the culture I grew up in—'Have you eaten?'
I’ve always believed those small, meaningful moments are precious, but there's something about hitting my 50s that has filled me with a newfound courage to fully prioritise them and seize those moments with no hesitation.
Kind of like The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*, right? Life is short—we all know that. So why not set yourself free? Being free doesn’t mean you stop caring; it just means you get picky about your battles. For me, it’s all about letting things flow, choosing what I want to dive into, and embracing the journey. Let’s be real—the process is where the real fun is! Who knew that getting older would come with such a thrilling sense of liberation? Bring it on!
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