The world of Tzu Chi December 2020(Vol.129)

eature down his teammates. Willpower was what kept him going, albeit slowly. On the fifth day, he was physically and mentally exhausted. Seeing the beautiful snowy landscape, a feeling struck him deeply. “That instant, I felt like I was the only soul left in the world. All I needed was air, water, a place to rest, get fed, and meet up with my friends. If those were the only five things I needed to survive, why did I always want to have so much in my life?” Since then, whenever he desired an item, he would recall this particular scene. Now, he owns only these accessories and clothing items: a watch, a pair of glasses, a pair of sports shoes, four white shirts, two pairs of trousers, two pairs of jeans and no more than 30 pieces of other clothes. After adopting a minimalist lifestyle, his home has become more spacious and easier to clean. Yee Leong is also a writer, and runs the Yiliang Studio & Publication. Naturally, he receives books from others in the same industry. Plus, being an avid reader, he has an extensive collection of books. After embracing minimalism, he developed an approach to deal with books he has read. He keeps books that have memories and high reference values. For good books that he has read, he will give them away, hoping that they will continue to be read. He also makes it a point to leave a message in each book, calling on the next reader to pass on the positive energy to others, if he too, finds the book worth reading. For books he receives as a gift, he will mention the parts that he finds wonderful and invite the next reader to keep the cycle going. He mused, “I believe the person who gave me the book will be delighted that I have read the book so carefully and will not mind that I gave the book away. This can also keep the positive energy going.” Cherishing relationships Yee Leong prefers to have “less” in terms of materialism and to have “more” when it comes to mind and soul. He cherishes relationships and admitted that he still finds it hard to detach from relationships. Yet, when separation in life and death happens, we still have to face it. 2020 • 12 24