40

轉四十歲之前，是充滿焦慮的一年，還好最近把腳步慢了下來，找回了我想要的從容。

This has been a year filled with anxiety. Fortunately, I managed to slow down before turning 40 and retrieved the poise I so desperately longed for. 

凱特琳娜寄給我的卡片裡，問我要送什麼給自己當生日禮物，我的答案是「慢活」，所以今天去上班的路上，不奔跑也不緊張，看到想速寫的行人也不猶豫地停下來畫個兩筆。

Caterina asked me in the birthday card what I'd like to give myself as a birthday gift. My answer is "a slow pace." On the way to work today, I neither ran nor rushed. Upon seeing a beautiful smoking lady, I didn't hesitate to stop and sketch her. 

一早進到教室裡，可愛的孩子們準備了好大的蛋糕，我毫不彆扭地接受了大家的心意，今天我自在開心。

A super big cake was waiting for me when I stepped into the classroom this morning. I learned to accept the new girls' love without feeling shy. Today my heart is as wide as the ocean. 

雖然暑假就送了自己去奧地利旅行的大禮物，但一直到最近，我才真的明白對自己好的意義。暫時放掉了一些野心，我要從頭開始，一次只做一件事，表面上看起來像是放手，但我知道這是完成夢想的必要手段。

Though I gave myself the luxurious birthday gift of traveling to Austria in summer, I didn't really know what it means to be nice to myself until recently. For the time being, I let go of some goals. I will begin again and focus on one thing at a time, which is the only way I know to my dreams. 

四十歲真是個美麗的年紀，向前看未來的人生，還有一些機會，我要慢慢地前進‧‧‧‧‧‧

Forty is a very beautiful age. When I look ahead, I see some opportunities. Now I am going to move forward slowly...