People tend not to cherish what they have until it is gone and only recognize its true value after losing it. A Hongkonger who returned from Canada shared his reflections from the perspective of someone who has been through it, saying that when he used to live in Hong Kong, he would mostly see the city's shortcomings. But after moving far away and looking back, he came to realize Hong Kong's advantages.
"It turns out that place had so many fun and vibrant things too." He sighed, "It's only when people truly experience loss that they can clearly see what they once had."
The returnee posted on social media, saying that while chatting with friends who had also stayed in Canada, they found that despite working hard day in and day out there, they could only get by on minimum payments, feeling as if they could not make ends meet. In contrast, after returning to Hong Kong, they have become more accepting of the city as it is now.
"A couple of days ago, I was chatting with a friend, and we discussed how, after living in Canada for a few years, constantly paying only the minimum really gave me a sense of struggling to get by. I noticed an interesting phenomenon—many people, after going abroad, have come to accept Hong Kong more."
After reflection, the Hongkonger thought this might be related to "loss." He said that in the past, they did not appreciate Hong Kong and always harbored illusions about emigration, only to find reality far harsher.
"The environment, friends, and family we grew up with felt so natural and taken for granted; we never thought to cherish them. Now that I've lived in Canada for a while, it's actually easier to complain with the people around me, saying the system here doesn't work, or that certain welfare benefits encourage laziness."
He believes that no system in the world is perfect. "Back when you were in Hong Kong, what you saw with your own eyes was usually just its flaws. But once you leave and enter a completely new environment, you are initially attracted by its advantages. However, over time, the problems of the new system gradually surfaced. At that point, when you look back at the old system, you suddenly realize: 'Well, that place actually had a lot of fun and vibrant things too.' It's just that at the time, you were so used to it that you simply couldn't see it."
In the end, he reflected, "People truly do always think that old flames are the most beautiful. But this nostalgia is usually not because that place in the past was perfect, but rather because only when people have truly experienced loss can they clearly see what they once had."
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