The Passage of Time: Regret and Loss
The idea I wanted to express is that time makes us miss things. We cannot reverse the past, it forces us to face the passage of time and the loss of what we once had.
The inspiration came from a Chinese poem 'The Love of Alzheimer' by Jugang Bai. It reminded me of my great-grandmother. She also had Alzheimer's disease.
In the passage of time, she gradually forgot the things and people she loved.
She passed away last year. I regret that I was not able to go back to China to attend her funeral because of the lockdown.
“嗒嘀嗒，时间很忙，
"Tick tock, time is busy,
我们一起老了
we grew old together
却没能一起忘。
but didn’t forget together.
嘀嗒嘀嗒，你慢些忘，
Tick tock, please forget slowly,
别忘了我的模样，
don’t forget what I look like,
忘了吻我脸庞。
don’t forget to kiss my face.
我又来看你啦。
I’m visiting you again.
你坐在大树下乘凉，
You’re sitting under the big tree,
在你总在的地方。
where you always sit.
我有太多话要讲，
There are so many things I want to tell you,
就算终究被遗忘。
even if it will eventually be forgotten.
你突然讲，
You suddenly tell me
那个故事里年轻的姑娘。
a story about a young girl.
明明就是我们俩，我怎么会忘。”
I know that was me."
- Jugang Bai
