A couple of relatives skipped a Chinese New Year get-together last week. A teenager had polytechnic exams. Her 62-year-old aunt was also studying for tests. She had just signed up to train as a counsellor.

What I found admirable was her preparedness. She only recently retired – we are talking weeks here, not months or years – but had obviously given serious consideration to what she wants to do in her post-retirement working life.