Small Talk: Growing Older, Growing Free

(Upper Beginner Level — English → Cantonese →

Recently I read an article on Facebook.

我最近喺 Facebook 睇咗一篇文章。

ngo5 zeoi3 gan6 hai2 Facebook tai2 zo2 jat1 pin1 man4 zoeng1.

The writer is 44 years old and has very few friends now.

文章嗰位作者四十四歲，而家差唔多冇乜朋友。

man4 zoeng1 go2 wai2 zok3 ze2 sei3 sap6 sei3 seoi3, ji4 gaa1 caa1 m4 do1 mou5 mat1 pang4 jau5.

But she said she feels happier than before.

但係佢話佢比以前更加開心。

daan6 hai6 keoi5 waa6 keoi5 bei2 ji5 cin4 gang1 gaa1 hoi1 sam1.

When she was younger, she cared a lot about fitting in.

佢後生嘅時候，好在意自己合唔合群。

keoi5 hau6 saang1 ge3 si4 hau6, hou2 zoi6 ji3 zi6 gei2 hap6 m4 hap6 kwan4.

She didn’t want people to think she was strange or unfriendly.

佢唔想人哋覺得佢唔合群或者唔好相處。

keoi5 m4 soeng2 jan4 dei6 gok3 dak1 keoi5 m4 hap6 kwan4 waak6 ze2 m4 hou2 soeng1 cyu5.

So she joined dinners and outings even when she was tired.

所以就算好攰，都會逼自己去聚餐同活動。

so2 ji5 zau6 syun3 hou2 gui6, dou1 wui5 bik1 zi6 gei2 heoi3 zeoi6 caan1 tung4 wut6 dung6.

Later she found out that the real pressure came from forced socializing.

後來先發現，真正令佢辛苦嘅係啲硬性社交。

hau6 loi4 sin1 faat3 jin6, zan1 zing3 ling6 keoi5 san1 fu2 ge3 hai6 di1 ngaang6 sing3 se5 gaau1.

Even with many people around, she still felt lonely.

就算身邊好多人，佢都覺得好孤單。

zau6 syun3 san1 bin1 hou2 do1 jan4, keoi5 dou1 gok3 dak1 hou2 gu1 daan1.

Now her life is simple and quiet.

而家佢嘅生活簡單又安靜。

ji4 gaa1 keoi5 ge3 sang1 wut6 gaan2 daan1 jau6 on1 zing6.

She doesn’t force herself to join social groups anymore.

佢唔會再逼自己參加啲社交活動。

keoi5 m4 wui5 zoi3 bik1 zi6 gei2 caam1 gaa1 di1 se5 gaau1 wut6 dung6.

She keeps only the relationships that feel real and comfortable.

佢淨係保留令佢舒服同真心嘅關係。

keoi5 zing6 hai6 bou2 lau4 ling6 keoi5 syu1 fuk6 tung4 zan1 sam1 ge3 gwaan1 hai6.

She spends more time on things that make her grow.

佢將時間放喺令自己進步嘅嘢上面。

keoi5 zoeng1 si4 gaan3 fong3 hai2 ling6 zi6 gei2 zeon3 bou6 ge3 je5 soeng6 min6.

Like exercising, reading, and writing.

例如做運動、睇書同寫嘢。

lai6 jyu4 zou6 wan6 dung6, tai2 syu1 tung4 se2 je5.

These things help her understand herself more deeply.

呢啲活動令佢更加了解自己。

ni1 di1 wut6 dung6 ling6 keoi5 gang1 gaa1 liu5 gaai2 zi6 gei2.

Some people ask her if she feels lonely.

有啲人問佢會唔會覺得孤單。

jau5 di1 jan4 man6 keoi5 wui5 m4 wui5 gok3 dak1 gu1 daan1.

But she says real loneliness is being with many people yet feeling empty inside.

但係佢話真正嘅孤獨係喺人群入面都覺得空虛。

daan6 hai6 keoi5 waa6 zan1 zing3 ge3 gu1 duk6 hai6 hai2 jan4 kwan4 jap6 min6 dou1 gok3 dak1 hung1 heoi1.

Now she values liking herself more than having many friends.

而家佢覺得鍾意自己，比擁有好多朋友更重要。

ji4 gaa1 keoi5 gok3 dak1 zung1 ji3 zi6 gei2, bei2 jung2 jau5 hou2 do1 pang4 jau5 gang3 zung6 jiu3.

Her circle is smaller, but her heart is lighter.

朋友圈細咗，但係心變得更輕鬆。

pang4 jau5 kyun4 sai3 zo2, daan6 hai6 sam1 bin3 dak1 gang3 hing1 sung1.

She said: maybe we’re not losing friends — we’re just learning to be our own best friend.

佢話：可能我哋唔係冇朋友，而係終於學識做自己最好嘅朋友。

keoi5 waa6: ho2 nang4 ngo5 dei6 m4 hai6 mou5 pang4 jau5, ji4 hai6 zung1 jyu1 hok6 sik1 zou6 zi6 gei2 zeoi3 hou2 ge3 pang4 jau5.

If you feel the same way, maybe we are the same kind of people.

如果你都有同樣嘅感覺，咁我哋都算係同類啦。

jyu4 gwo2 nei5 dou1 jau5 tung4 joeng6 ge3 gam2 gok3, gam2 ngo5 dei6 dou1 syun3 hai6 tung4 leoi6 laa1.

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