A Story
古木 = ancient tree (古 ancient + 木 wood/tree)
逢春 = every spring (古 ancient + 木 wood/tree)
又 = also
再 = again (冂 wide )
發 = flourish (癶 legs + 弓 bow + 几 table +又again )
人 = person
冇 = does not have (冂 wide )
兩 = two / pair (入enter )
度 = measure ( 广shelter +廿twenty + 又again)
再 = again
少 = little ( 小 small)
年 = person’s age ( 干 dry)
Today, as soon as Dad read this, he goes, “Keep this moment. Tomorrow, another day, it will be gone.”
Dad says, 古木 is referring to a tree that has been around a long, long time. That you might think it’s so old, it’s gone, but come spring 逢春, the tree is born yet again 又再發. The latter part, 人冇兩度再少年 refers to the fact that a person does not have a second life and will not be young again.
Dad says, “I remember this saying when I was young and I understood it then. Now, I’m 70 years old. Now we’re here, can’t go back again – won’t go back to when I was young. This means, don’t waste this moment. You learn, you keep. You got to learn more, keep more,. This moment (jui jong yew) is very important. Right now, 1 hour passes, that is 1 hour less that you have. Keep your moment forever, don’t waste it.”
In more or less words. Unlike a tree that rises again come spring, there is, but one life, make the most of it.
Updated 8/1/24
Date Added: 3/14/2021