I've forgotten how long it's been.

I've forgotten how long it's been since I felt this way.

One day of heavy snow and another day of a power outage at the company gave me two days to work from home, making life much more comfortable. Normally, I'm only home on weekends, and those weekends are spent sleeping in, playing soccer, buying groceries, and doing some housework—it's all over. This routine has become a habit. This kind of life is like having a week filled with activities, almost like having no "rest."

I ate dinner tonight and was so tired that I took a nap, but I'm still not asleep. Since I can't sleep, I've been thinking about doing something, but I don't really want to do anything. It's getting late, and I have to go to work tomorrow. I looked for something easy and quick to do, so I started organizing my phone. I scrolled through photos, listened to music, checked unread messages on various apps, and explored other functions of some apps I've used for a long time. For a moment, I had a strange feeling—how long has it been since I've had this kind of leisure time?

I don't know if it's a problem of the times or my age, but since going abroad, there's been no "stopping" time. My life is filled to the brim with all sorts of things, and sometimes I feel like I'm about to explode from the overload. Whether it's work, studies, or personal matters, everything is about rushing. Competition, rushing to prove myself; the market, rushing to seize opportunities. It's not that I want it to be this way, but I feel like if I'm a step behind, I'll be swallowed up.

This trend, or rather, this mindset, pushes me forward relentlessly, oblivious to the scenery along the way. In 2016, I arrived in a strange place, seemingly bustling, yet truly unfamiliar. Looking back, I realize I've traveled a very long way down this unfamiliar road, with fewer and fewer companions beside me. Now, I have the opportunity to stand on the roadside and watch the hurried pedestrians. "So this is me," I think, unable to be stopped or persuaded, just walking forward, not knowing where I'm going. Given this, what should I do?

As the conversation went on, the topic turned to the secrets of 2017. Still, I can't reveal them yet; if you want to know, go read the encrypted article.

The music stopped, and the sound of melting snow dripping outside the window reminded me of rainy nights in high school. Back then, we had nothing, everything was restricted, so we cherished every resource we had and fully enjoyed them. Now we have everything, but we only scratch the surface of everything and can't truly appreciate its joy and wonder.

The world has become so big, but I feel so small.