The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

MY. ENTIRE. LIFE.

Of course, it involved China – where bonkers is a beautiful way of life – but it was at a level I could never imagine, let alone imagine I’d ever get to experience.

But it happened and it is something I will treasure and remember for the rest of my days.

But this post is not actually about any of that, it’s about this …

And this ….

I know … I know … it’s a photo of a man cutting a hedge and an empty road which sounds especially boring given this post started with ‘the most bonkers week of my life’.

But the thing is, of all the bonkers stuff that happened [taster: dinner-for-2 with a global superstar in LA, dinner with editors of GQ and Vogue China, asked to bring another global superstar to China, conversations with the head designers of some of the hottest street culture and luxury brands on the planet] those were 2 of the moments that made the biggest impression on me.

It was on my first morning in Beijing.

I woke up very early because of the time zone change.

And because I’m on a health kick, I got up to go out for a walk.

It was light as it’s summer there and as I left the hotel, I saw the guy cutting the hedge and it kind of stopped me in my tracks.

I know that sounds dramatic and over-the-top but it is true …

Part of it was because it triggered Sunday morning memories, where I would hear Dad – or one of the neighbours – cutting the grass. A sonic symbol of family, safety and happiness. A guarantee that whatever happened later in the day, it was starting in a good way.

But it was more than that …

It was the joy of seeing a city literally prepare itself for the day ahead.

And not just any city, but one that is crazy in terms of scale and volume.

Bustling with kinetic energy and possibility.

There was something exciting and reassuring seeing the city actively create the conditions for people to experience and live up to.

All bathed in the warm golden glow of a summer sun, rising to bake us all in its intense heat within an hour or two.

And yet it would be so easy to do none of it.

Let’s be honest, each day tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of people pass through this area and I’m pretty sure few ever notice it.

And yet they do it.

Every day.

OK, so the area I was in was ‘posh’ – full of luxury brands and retailers – so there is an ‘image’ to maintain, but it felt a real gift to be there at that moment.

To experience pride in a job well done and calm before the story.

To welcome the day rather than fear it.

To see the people who make it possible rather than the people who take it for granted.

And while I appreciate you may be fearing for my sanity at this point … the thing is, for a country that cops so much shit for what it ‘does wrong’ from people/media/politicians who often have never even been to the country, they understand the importance of the environment we live and work in far more than many of the places that like to present themselves as having all their shit together.

I know China has a lot wrong with it.

So does every other nation.

But while there’s a lot they can – and need – to do a lot better in, there’s some things, they do miles better than the so called ‘first world nations’.

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Tomorrow we have the day off to celebrate Matariki.

It’s a very important day in New Zealand and if you want to know why, click here.