I think I had more than an amazing week. I finally settled back into my daily rituals, with all my favorite belongings neatly around me. I got back to my routine life and arranged both my work and personal life in a productive and organized way. I wish I could keep this stamina for living and loving my life for as long as possible.

I know it’s normal for people to gradually grow tired of their daily environment and stop paying attention to it. But I’ve made a resolution to enjoy my routine life with gratitude, to stay aware of whatever happens around me, and to always keep an open and curious mind.

As tradition, I’ll share my weekly ups and downs as a way of documenting a life well lived. Let’s start with a high note.

Running Through My City Like a Traveler

I finally started running in my city.

As you may know, I usually run along the same beachside park and follow the same trail over and over again. I never really get tired of it because the route is scenic all the way through, and honestly, I still haven’t had enough of it.

But when I’m traveling, one of my favorite things to do is lace up my shoes and head out early in the morning to explore a foreign city on foot. It’s something I almost always do when I travel. Then it suddenly occurred to me that I’ve been living in my city for nearly ten years now and have moved around many different neighborhoods, yet I’ve hardly ever explored it with that same sense of curiosity.

I usually take everything around me for granted. I live here, not travel here. Maybe that’s why I’ve missed so much of the fun.

The thought of treating my own city like a travel destination excited me. I imagined running down random streets, turning wherever I felt like turning, and looking at ordinary everyday surroundings through the eyes of a curious tourist.

Last Sunday morning, I finally laced up my shoes and went for my weekly 10K long run through the city on those almost-empty roads. To my amazement, my city looked beautiful through a tourist’s eyes. I finished the 10K with ease and excitement.

Of course, many of the streets and shops were already familiar to me, but running through them somehow made everything feel new again. Thank God, I loved the feeling.

I barely stopped to take photos. I was completely immersed in those clean, wide roads that felt like a marathon course prepared just for me. It reminded me of marathon races. Cities often clear out their most scenic streets for runners. No traffic. No hustle and bustle. Just footsteps, breathing, and occasional cheers.

Then I realized something. If I wanted to, I could do this every week.

I could create a different long-run route every weekend and explore the city through the eyes of a distance runner. I could run to other districts, meet friends for breakfast afterwards, and discover roads and neighborhoods I’ve never paid attention to before.

Life is so good. I’m glad I finally tried it.

By running through my city instead of my usual park, I found a completely new experience, and it was breathtakingly beautiful. Life can be full of struggle and pain. But sometimes life stays exactly the same, and only our perspective changes. And that alone can make everything beautiful.

Standing Up Against a Small Injustice

Now let’s move on to the low note.

There will always be low notes, even when the high notes feel unbelievably high. Life contains all those ingredients that keep us away from boredom, and perhaps the lows help us appreciate the highs even more.

This week, I finally went for my annual teeth cleaning. Normally, I go to a private dental clinic, but this year I decided to try a government hospital just to see whether it would be better or cheaper.

After waiting for a week, I finally got my appointment. The whole experience was disappointing. The service felt much less pleasant than what I’d experienced at private clinics, and to make matters worse, they charged nearly double the price.

I was furious.

When I checked the receipt, it was obvious they had charged me for services that were never actually provided. I tried to raise the issue with the reception desk, but the staff member responsible for handling complaints was extremely dismissive.

She insisted that it was the standard charge for everyone. I argued that it wasn’t fair. She ignored me.

At first, I considered simply accepting the bad experience and moving on. But my anger wouldn’t let me.

So I submitted a complaint to the government health regulator.

Less than an hour later, the hospital called to apologize. Even the doctor in charge phoned me personally and admitted they had mistakenly overcharged me.

The entire experience left me feeling annoyed because it reminded me that injustice still exists everywhere, often much closer than we think.

I don’t know whether my complaint will make any real difference to the system as a whole. Sometimes situations like this make me wish I had more influence than I do.

But I’m glad I did something instead of staying silent.

There’s a saying in China that roughly means that whenever you encounter injustice, you should speak up and make your stand known. I’ve tried to live by that principle for many years, and I hope I’ll continue doing so without doubting myself. Even if my voice creates only a tiny impact, I never want to lose the courage to use it.

A Life With Highs and Lows

Anyway, it was a great week. A week filled with highs and lows, frustrations and excitement, gratitude and discovery. Thank you, life. And thank you to myself for living my life, my way.

How was your week? Share your stories. Let’s connect.