As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself slowing down more than usual. Not out of exhaustion, but out of instinct. Some years demand momentum. Others ask for stillness. This one asked to be remembered properly. When I look back, what stands out most are not achievements or transitions, but people. Some have been part of my life for years, though this was the year our conversations deepened and our presence in each other’s lives became more deliberate. Others appeared more recently, yet managed to leave impressions that felt disproportionate to the time we shared. There are also those whose names may not appear here, but whose influence is no less real. This reflection is not an attempt to rank importance or measure closeness. It is simply a way of acknowledging that this year did not unfold in isolation. It unfolded through relationships, through shared meals and long conversations, through quiet encouragement and moments of unexpected clarity. Gratitude, in this sense, feels less like a conclusion and more like a pause. A recognition that growth is rarely solitary, and that even the most personal journeys are shaped by the presence of others, often in ways we only recognise once time has passed.
If I were to describe the year through its outward markers, it would appear unusually full. There were changes in roles and responsibilities, moments of public visibility, and transitions that demanded confidence before it fully arrived. Early in the year, I stepped into a new position of responsibility through the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan. Not long after, I made the decision to leave a familiar professional path and begin again in a different environment, one that asked me to think more analytically while remaining grounded in real world systems and outcomes. Midyear brought the completion of a long academic journey, one that required persistence, humility, and more self doubt than I anticipated. Later came a return to Canada after three years away, followed by moments of professional convergence back in Taiwan, where local perspectives finally took centre stage. From the outside, these moments could be framed as progress. From within, they felt uneven, demanding, and deeply human. There were weeks of clarity and weeks of uncertainty. Days when confidence felt earned and days when it felt borrowed. Yet taken together, they formed a year that was generous in opportunity, not because it was easy, but because it required presence and intention.
Before thanking any individual, I want to begin somewhere quieter. I am grateful to God for a year that held its shape, even when it bent. There were seasons when plans loosened their grip, when expectations had to be set down and reexamined, when patience was not chosen but required. Movement did not always feel forward, and clarity rarely arrived on schedule. Yet beneath the surface, there was a steadiness that did not ask to be named, only trusted. Faith, for me, has never been about certainty. It is about motion without guarantees. About continuing when the next step is visible but the path is not. About learning that meaning does not announce itself in advance, and that endurance is often its own form of understanding. In hindsight, many moments of doubt were quietly accompanied by reassurance. Not answers. Just enough calm to remain upright. Just enough light to keep walking.
Some friendships grow gradually, almost without notice. Wayne is one of those people. We met through the Canadian Chamber, and over time, without any deliberate intention, you became one of the people I saw most often. There is something remarkable about your ability to move through social spaces with genuine curiosity and attention. A true 里長伯 in every sense, you seem to know everyone, but more impressively, you remember them. Details, stories, context. How you manage this remains a mystery to me. Every time we meet, I walk away having learned something new, whether it is about you, about someone else, or about a perspective I had not previously considered. Our conversations never feel transactional. They feel open, energetic, and grounded in shared curiosity. Friendship with you did not arrive with ceremony. It arrived through repetition, through shared time, and through a growing sense of ease. For the laughter, the stories, and the consistency of presence, I am genuinely grateful.
Ann is someone whose presence this year reminded me that work does not have to be separate from warmth. We met as colleagues, but quickly became something closer to friends. There is an ease about you that makes space feel lighter. You bring humour without effort and perspective without pretence. Some of the most enjoyable moments this year came not from formal plans, but from shared meals, casual conversations, and evenings where laughter arrived unannounced. I am particularly grateful that you showed up to so many of the dinners I hosted. Those moments mattered to me more than you probably realised. They were not about hosting or organisation, but about continuity and shared presence. You are someone with both capability and generosity, and that combination is rare. Wherever your path leads next, I am certain you will bring that same balance of competence and warmth with you. I am thankful that our paths crossed, and even more thankful that they continue to overlap.
This year also marked the beginning of a new professional chapter, one shaped not only by work itself, but by the people I work alongside. Joining BloombergNEF was both an adjustment and an affirmation. David, as my team lead, was the first to extend trust at a moment when I was stepping into unfamiliar territory. That trust mattered. It created space to learn without fear and to grow without unnecessary pressure. Ali, as Head of APAC, leads with a rare combination of strategic clarity and genuine care for people. Despite overseeing a wide and demanding portfolio, he remains present and attentive in ways that are felt, not announced. Julia, my fellow Taiwan based analyst, brings a quiet depth to everything she does. Our focus areas differ, but our exchanges consistently sharpen my thinking. Our working dynamic is a reminder that complementarity creates strength. Donovan and Brian, whose energy and openness initially took time to understand, have become integral to the rhythm of work. Collaboration with you has added lightness and humanity to a demanding environment, and I appreciate that more than I often say.
Alex, my 師姐, is someone whose presence this year carried a quieter weight. From early on, our conversations found their way to cities, urban systems, and the energy transition, but rarely stayed there for long. They often drifted into reflections on how people live within these systems, how choices are shaped, and how futures are quietly negotiated through everyday movement and space. Those exchanges stayed with me, not because they were dramatic, but because they felt unforced and sincere. Despite an exceptionally demanding schedule, she chose to show up to many of the dinners I hosted. I never took that lightly. Time, after all, is rarely neutral, and presence is its own form of generosity. Those evenings unfolded slowly, marked by thoughtful conversation, shared laughter, and moments that felt intentionally unhurried. They became pauses within otherwise busy weeks, moments I found myself returning to long after they ended. Some connections do not need definition to be meaningful. They simply ask to be held with care, curiosity, and respect, and I am thankful for that space between us, exactly as it is.
Serving on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce was another defining experience this year. I am sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me and for the opportunity to contribute. The Chamber is more than a platform for events or formal engagement. It is a space where public and private interests intersect, where dialogue matters, and where relationships are built through shared responsibility. Through this role, I had the privilege of meeting individuals across sectors, each bringing different priorities and perspectives. These interactions expanded my understanding of collaboration, not as an abstract concept, but as a practice rooted in listening and mutual respect. The board itself is defined by collegiality and shared purpose, and I am thankful for the guidance and openness that characterise our work together. Being part of this group reinforced the importance of community, responsibility, and thoughtful leadership.
Academically, this year marked the completion of a journey that is not hard but demanded more time from me than I initially expected. Professor Ken Lin Chang, my thesis advisor, guided me with patience, rigour, and trust. He continuously challenged me to refine my thinking, to question assumptions, and to approach complexity with discipline rather than avoidance. Beyond formal supervision, his steady presence provided reassurance during moments when the research felt uncertain or directionless. That trust mattered. It allowed me to navigate ambiguity without panic and to arrive at clarity through persistence. The thesis itself is a product not only of individual effort, but of mentorship that values process as much as outcome. In the end, my thesis won the Thesis of the Year Award. I am deeply grateful for the time, care, and thought he invested in this work. Without that guidance, the journey would have been far more isolating.
Equally important were the friends I met through the master’s programme. What could have been a solitary academic experience became collaborative and deeply human because of you. Long nights, shared frustrations, small victories, and moments of mutual encouragement created a sense of solidarity that carried me through. We supported one another not only academically, but emotionally. Laughter arrived when pressure felt overwhelming. Understanding was offered without explanation. These relationships transformed the experience from one of endurance to one of shared growth. This chapter of my life would not have been the same without your presence, and I carry that gratitude forward with intention.
Finally, I want to thank the friends I reconnected with in Canada. Returning after time away reminded me how enduring these connections are. Distance did not diminish familiarity. Conversations resumed with an ease that felt both comforting and grounding. Many of these moments quietly shaped the three pieces I wrote about Canada this year. Those writings were not about places alone, but about memory, belonging, and the ways people and cities continue to shape us over time. In many ways, they were written with you in mind. The warmth, openness, and hospitality you extended allowed me to reflect honestly and without urgency. These experiences reminded me of where I come from and how those roots continue to influence who I am becoming.
As the year closes, I carry these people and moments with me, not as achievements, but as anchors. 2025 was not perfect. It was uneven, demanding, and at times uncertain. But it was also honest, formative, and deeply human. For that, and for everyone who made it so, I am profoundly grateful.
Leave a Reply