Year 2014 - the Year of Enrichment

As mentioned in one of my previous blog articles, my retirement plan is focused mainly on seeking enrichment, both physically and spiritually, to make up for my inadequacy over the past years owing to an overwhelming work schedule.

There is no telling yet how much I have achieved in health gain. Regarding spiritual growth, however, I can claim to have made quite some progress. For one thing, my participation in a Bible course named ‘Bible in 80 Weeks’, which aims at a perusal of the whole Bible in eighty weeks’ time, gave me very great satisfaction.

This being the 27th week, we are reading the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. Frankly, it has never been fun reading the Old Testament. There have even been moments when I feel bored stiff. But the thought of giving up reading altogether never occurs to me. This is due to mutual support among the participants and the inspiring talks by quality speakers. 

I am also motivated to do research aside from the weekly assignment. As one of the group coordinators, I feel obliged to be better prepared so that I can more efficiently guide the sharing along.This way, I find myself benefiting greatly from the extra reading and I feel grateful for the opportunity. A very harmonious friendship has also developed among the group members. We share our thoughts not only during the meeting but also in the chat group thanks to whatsapp technology. It will be more than a year before we finish our reading, but the long process has become an enjoyment rather than a burden. Even occasional absences will not be a hindrance to our determination to pursue the journey till the very end.

I also derive great joy from a recent engagement: I will have a column in a newspaper, in which the translated pieces of a religious book are published weekly. I actually leapt at the offer as I found it an answer to my three-fold request: to seek improvement in English-to-Chinese translation, to share my writing with others and to do the work of God.

Before the actual work of translation, I have to develop an understanding of the content and the message it delivers. As the translation will be done on an abridged basis, I need to decide on the focuses and underline the key paragraphs and sentences. This is good reading and writing practice, too. The use of the right Chinese terms, especially those associated with Christianity, can also be a challenge and thus gives useful skills training.

I do enjoy the job tremendously, so much so that I have already finished the third piece even though the column will not appear until January.

Of course, it’s not always work that keeps me occupied. I can still enjoy my dancing classes on alternate days and have a good nap in the afternoon to make up for the wakeful hours at night.

The past year has been an enriched one and I have to thank God for all these blessings. 

An Advent Message

The Advent Retreat held in Mong Ha Church last Saturday evening was an event to remember. Like most of the others who attended it, I felt deeply moved and inspired. And now, looking back, I feel a strong sense of gratitude and even pride.

The retreat was assumedly the concern of the Retreat Group. But ultimately, it turned out to be a cross-group activity, involving the Choir, the 1045 Reading Group and the Parish Activity Group as well. The success of the retreat, if any, is the fruit of their joint effort.

The theme of the Advent Retreat had been conceived months before the event. Sister Victoria, the mastermind, thought of using a few verses from the book of the Prophet Isaiah, which she believed to be closely associated with the Advent message, with reference to the darkness of the sinful age, the call to repentance, the hope for the coming Messiah and the reminder of the evangelical mission. She invited the other members of the Retreat Group to search for the right verses. However, as usual, it was her choices that we gladly agreed on. After all, who else understands the Bible better than she does?

The Choir was invited to choose a few songs with lyrics that could match the Bible verses. Thanks to their expertise and good experience, the songs chosen were later found to be more than fitting, helping to bring out the message effectively and inspiringly. They then had to start the singing practice, which was understandably an added responsibility to their already tight schedule. There were also sequential requests, which further complicated the mission. But there was not a word of complaint. Instead, they made useful attempts to iron out one problem after another.

Then there was the need for slides showing pictures of the current world situation related to the scenes depicted in the Bible verses. Pictures of social chaos and the shrinking polar ice caps, for example, were focuses on the dark side of life. Scenes of ecstatic occasions and happy laughter of children, on the other hand, would signify hope brought by the coming of the Messiah. That would be the job of the IT helpers, a few members of the Reading Group. It was no easy task at all, considering the need to set appropriate time intervals between slides to allow moments of silent prayer and meditation. And, the effectiveness of the actual presentation on the night of the event was inestimable.

When everything was done and everyone was looking forward to the red letter day with hope and confidence, there came the news that Father Peter would not be able to attend it because of an urgent affair. That was a hard nut to crack since he was assigned a very important part in the event. What were we going to do? Could there be a replacement?

Fortunately, the Lord answered our prayer. The retreat took place as planned. Father Peter did make his appearance, read out a Bible passage, gave a sermon on it and even led the closing prayer. When his voice was heard leading the singing of the song ‘Here I am, Lord’, everyone present was captivated. And when the Choir joined in the singing in a chorus, it was a touching scene. Had Fr. Peter come to the retreat finally? Unfortunately not! But a miracle did occur in the form of recorded video scripts powerpoint projected. It was all due to the hard work of the IT helpers. Of course, Father Peter's kindness in preparing his recorded presentation is much appreciated.

The retreat has been a success and we are grateful for this. But shouldn’t we also be grateful that we have got very good fellow parishioners who can work in cooperation for the shared purpose of serving God? This is community spirit, which our kind Lord has taught us about. It is one of the inspirations I have got in this time of Advent and I hope it will continue to inspire us to join hands in our pursuit of faith enrichment and in our work of evangelization.

An inorganic practice

In her recent article Miss Teresa Vong brought up a very interesting topic: allowing the hair to turn grey is also one way to go organic in life. She says that the majority of senior females are not mindful of their health deterioration, but are not so receptive to an aging appearance. I couldn’t agree more, as I am one of these females.

I can claim to be an environmentalist. As mentioned in my previous blog, to avoid wastage, I refrain from unnecessary purchases. When eating out, I never order more than I can consume, and if some food does remain, I take it home. Of course, I am very careful about saving electricity and washing water. In fact, I have been having what everyone suggests about a green life.

However, there is one practice which, I am afraid, is not very organic. I cannot do without regular hair-tinting. When still a teacher, I used to explain that a youthful look would make me more approachable to students. This is true to a certain extent. Students tend to associate a teacher’s age with her willingness to accept new concepts. They may find a younger looking teacher more agreeable as the generation gap between them, if any, is still acceptable. So I tried to convince myself that I was mothering my students though I was actually the age of their grandmother.

I have retired for a year but I still feel disturbed at the sight of a few grey hairs. Graying hair, which used to appear every two months despite the tinting, now demands attention more and more frequently, increasing my dependence on the hairdresser. I keep my hair dyed black for a reason no less justifiable than the previous one: I have a lot of young friends, whose company keeps me young at heart and oblivious of the approaching old age.

Of course, there are other signs of ageing that I cannot fight against. I am well aware of the lines on my face and the loose skin on my neck. The weakness of the knees is the most alarming of all. It thus seems silly to struggle to stem the tide of ageing. But I am still used to my black hair, though artificially so. I know one day I will have to surrender completely to my true self. But before that, let me be just a bit less organic.

Joy of an Austere Lifestyle

Before my retirement, shopping had been an infrequent pastime for me because of my tight work schedule. Now, despite abundant time at my disposal, I shop even less often. In fact, I shop only when necessary. Not being a wage earner anymore is only a minor reason. What discourages me from shopping lavishly is the realization of the seriousness of the waste disposal problem resulting from unnecessary purchases.

 

The problem first made it felt one morning when a cold breeze set me off sneezing and I opened the wardrobe to get a cardigan. I was struck by the sight of the hanging clothes pressed tightly together as to leave no breathing space at all … well, if clothes could breathe. I had searched for quite some time before finding the cardigan I was looking for. What crossed my mind at that moment was how I could reorganize the garments before the wardrobe fell into pieces. But to sort all those clothes out would be as much an impossible mission as to clear the data stored in my PC and my mobile. I decided to start doing something, somehow, someday.

 

There were actually more clothes than I would need for another ten or more years. Some had been hanging there unnoticed. But my one regret was that I had outgrown quite a few and that would mean a lot to dispose of. To ease the problem, I came up with an idea: while discarding or handing out some of the ill-fitting clothes, I would make good use of those still presentable. And I even embarked on what I considered a very challenging feat, namely, to reduce my size by dieting.

 

Now two months has passed and I can proudly announce that most of the clothes are the right size for me. And I delight particularly in the mix-and-match, adding glamour to what used to be mediocre attire. That is the kind of fun I was deprived of in those days when dressing up before work was done in a rush and when there was a dress code for teachers to abide by. Exploring for ‘new’ discoveries in the wardrobe is no less fun than browsing the showcases of the boutiques.

 

Of course, the greatest satisfaction is my success in weight loss. Cutting down on fat and sugar consumption has led to more desirable blood pressure. My arm injury has also recovered gradually as a result of exercising every day.

 

It’s only now in my retirement life that I have finally learned to appreciate the joy of a healthy and austere lifestyle.

 

Be Intelligent and Caring citizens

With reference to Kerry Kennedy’s article entitled ‘A liberal mind’ in the ‘South China Morning Post’ dated October 30, I would like to express my point of view about the importance of developing genuine citizenship.

 

Genuine citizenship is what students need to be educated on as it is a key factor in the well being of the city. This is particularly true at these particular times when the Occupy Central movement is making a huge impact on the lives of the Hong Kong residents. The protesters may consider themselves striving for a worthy cause, trying to make a difference to the future of Hong Kong. However, as caring citizens, they ought to be aware of their responsibilities and cannot turn a deaf ear to the complaints their courses of action have led to. What they are doing would be worth nothing, however lofty an ideal it may seem, if many are made to pay the high cost of it.

 

As mentioned in Kerry Kennedy’s article, students ought to learn to be ‘literate citizens, not single-issue citizens looking for quick fixes to complex problems’. The protesters need to have a good understanding of the electoral arrangements for the Chief Executive Election as an issue too complex to deal with speedily. It is necessary, too, to evaluate different sources of information related to the issue and to view it from various perspectives. While making their own judgment about the issue, they should also be willing to consider other solutions apart from the one they abide by.

 

We have seen on TV how the protesters’ representatives negotiated with the government officials. We appreciate their confidence and sincerity. But we would also like to see them more enlightened and equipped with better skills to speak convincingly while at the same time showing tolerance of opponent points of view over areas of disagreement. This, as Kerry Kennedy suggests, is what is expected of democratic citizens.

 

Last but not least, students should learn to be law-abiding citizens as a city's well being depends on the citizens' respect for and adherence to law. Anything students do should be within the law. Refusal to comply with the injuncture issued by the court of law is a serious breach of law that should be condemned.

 

In brief, I see genuine citizenship as a requisite for democracy and social involvement. Students ought to be trained to be intelligent and caring citizens if they aspire to contribute to a democratic society.

 

Rich Kids; Poor Kids

 There are two different attitudes towards parenting. Some parents are eager to provide their children with material affluence even if they are actually struggling to make ends meet. Having experienced long years of poverty themselves, they hope to see their children enjoying what they were deprived of in their own childhood. One thing they cannot bear is to see their children victimized by their poverty. On the other hand, there are parents who think that it is better for their children to get adapted to and be better equipped for the difficulties of life. They, therefore, try in every way to expose their children to an austere lifestyle, refusing to meet their material desire beyond what they actually need.  

Well convinced that both types of parents wish the best for their children, I am somehow more in favour of the second approach. Children brought up in poverty learn from experience that life is not a bed of roses and that they will have to solve their own problems instead of depending on others for help. In fact, while the first type of parents tend to smooth the path for their children, the other type are more keen on giving their children life skill training, helping them acquire cognitive flexibility and self-care ability. These children can thus face struggles and challenges with greater confidence and courage and are more likely to achieve success later in life. 

Conversely, children whose parents are ever ready with a cushion to soften the foreseeable fall well before they make any assumedly risky attempt will never venture beyond their comfort zone. Besides, as they have got used to having everything well prepared for them, they cannot survive in times of adversity. They blame everyone and everything except themselves and end up an emotional wreck. This may seem an overstatement. But it is not far from the truth that children whose material wants are easily satisfied cannot handle frustrations and setbacks properly.  

By no means do I suggest that children should live in misery as a happy childhood is everybody’s right. How parents can prepare children for future challenges without depriving them of their childhood joy is what matters. Parents should remember that a simple day’s outing can be as much a source of joy to their children as a visit to Disneyland. In short, they should guide them to appreciate the simplicity of life.

 

Say No to the Ice Bucket Challenge

People organize activities to raise public awareness of a social or global need. We are familiar with an annual campaign known as the 30-hour Famine aimed at drawing attention to the global hunger crisis. School children are sometimes seen picking rubbish on the beach to remind the public to keep the environment clean. These activities have gained wide acceptance as they serve the purpose very well.

The Ice Bucket Challenge, which has grabbed world attention soon after its initiation, is aimed at raising fund for ALS research. It seems to be serving a cause worth great support. In fact, the activity has led to huge donations suggesting hope for a more effective cure for the disease through greater amounts on stringent research. However, it has sparked criticism lately. Why? Personally, I see this as nothing more than a viral phenomenon and would like to see it banned as soon as possible.

The act of dumping ice water on someone is meant to make him feel sympathetic about the kind of suffering the ALS victims are going through. Unfortunately, while some take the challenge with good intention, for some others, the focus is on the fun. The pictures and videos we are exposed to tend to show the ecstatic excitement of the participants. There are many who take the challenge and pass it on, quite ignorant of its original purpose. Some even take this for an in-thing to do. This may lead to a misunderstanding of the plight of the victims and an underestimation of the seriousness of the need for research on this disease.

Then the huge amount of water wasted, and still being wasted, in the name of the Ice Bucket Challenge is no less lamentable. When so much has been said and done to avoid wastage, the idea of pouring bucket and bucket of water on the ground is condemnable. Making ice cubes is itself a waste of power, too. How can we not think of many in the remote parts of China and other drought-stricken areas of the world who have to walk long distances just to get a bucket of water, which they will use and reuse before discarding it finally? For them, every drop of water counts. Are we doing these needy ones justice if we keep wasting water thoughtlessly?

By no means am I heedless for the need for ALS research. I would like to see improved medical advances in this field more than anything else. Having an ALS victim among my family members, I understand just too well what kind of suffering the disease can bring. What I am asking for is a better fund raising activity than the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Let's get out of the chair

 

When we are getting ready for an event, the first and forthmost thing is to prepare enough chairs. Inadequate seating arrangement can spark complaint. A comfortable chair is an indispensable item in an office room as it is believed to enhance work efficiency. Likewise, after a hectic day, one desires nothing more than a leisure hour in the embrace of a cosy armchair, preferably graced with the massage function. In fact, the chair has become just as much a necessity as our clothing. However, despite all the comfort a chair can afford, over dependence on it can be harmful. And it is important to rid ourselves of the disease called chair addiction before it causes more harm. 

From a recent article entitled ‘Sitting is killing you’ in Reader's Digest, I have learned about an office which has undergone a ‘chair-free revolution’ and where the staff have all got used to the chair-escape program. The office is circled by a walking track, leaving enough space for ping-pong tables. The few chairs that are found are ‘architectural accents rather than dominant furnishing’. Seminars are organized to advise the staff on healthy living and walk-talk meetings are held to get them out of their chairs.

 

The program has reaped encouraging results. The office atmosphere is now more lively and ecstatic, with the office staff happily exchanging success stories of weight loss and health gain. Their more enthusiastic work contributions have also led to the company’s financial growth.

 

I have had a personal experience of a situation where the non-provision of chairs served a very good purpose. I was invited to attend a reception in celebration of a national event. Held in the Grand Ballroom of a posh hotel, the feast was glamorous with fabulous food, luxurious decorations and a performing live band. But one thing that struck me as unusual was that there were round pedestal dining tables, each of the right height for four or five guests standing around it, which also meant that chairs were not needed. I was at first put off by the idea of having to stand while eating. But I later realized that the whole setting was to encourage more socializing among the guests. I was approached by guests I met for the first time and soon found myself conversing freely with most of those present. If we had been sedentary, we could have gone home with hardly any memory of one another. 

So there is one more thing we can add to the list of health hazards. Its’ time we pulled ourselves out of the chair more often.

 

Not fitting in?

Lunching at a fast food shop can be an unpleasant experience when it is crowded with almost all tables occupied. The food is not the cause of displeasure as there is never much to be expected from fast food. The long wait at the queue, though pestering, is accepted as part of the package. What hinders the eating enjoyment is the noise all around. You wonder why people need to talk at the top of their voices while eating.

The noise is more tolerable if it comes from children. After all, shouting is their right. But often time you find yourself in the midst of a family discussion with every detail forced into your ears. I once overheard, much against my will, a presumably divorced couple complaining about their share of responsibilities over their child. The man asserted that he could afford his care of the child for only three days a week as his mother had regular appointments with her mahjong friends. Against this the woman, her face distorted with anger, protested strongly, condemning this as a violation of their divorce agreement. The worst part of it was that the argument was taking place in the presence of the young child, who was seemingly absorbed in his plate of food with hardly any expression on his face.

Another time I had the bad luck of being within earshot of a group of teenagers sharing about their school day. They wouldn’t bother to hide their roaring laughter with occasional outbursts of vulgar words. What’s wrong with teenagers’ happy talk? You may ask. Well, if only you had heard what they said! A boy boasted of his trick of hiding the cheat sheets up the sleeves of his shirt during a test. Another laughed at the poor eyesight of the invigilator. What enraged me was not their dishonesty but the shameless way in which they bragged about it, indifferent to the disapproving eyes around them.

It is a blessing to have quiet neighbors, of course. But the ‘peacefulness’ is not always the kind you desire. Quite a few times I found myself eating with the neighboring table occupied by a family. There was hardly any exchange of words among them. The daddy was absorbed in a magazine or newspaper. The mother was busy feeding a toddler, glancing at the cell phone from time to time. The boy, obviously the toddler’s brother, was lost in a cell phone game, unconcerned about the taste of the food he put in the mouth.

Ultimately, the trouble is not about eating in a fast food shop. Is it the social phenomenon that I find disagreeable? Or is it the trouble of not fitting in the present social norm? Is this another sign of aging?

The First Phone Call from Heaven - A Book Review

 

 

The First Phone Call from Heaven

By Mitch Albom

 

 

People nowadays seem to have got used to checking the cell phone from time to time for text messages or call alerts. How would you feel if you got a call from someone who had passed away? I got fascinated the moment I started reading the story named ‘The First Phone Call from Heaven’ written by Mitch Albom. A few residents of a small town on Lake Michigan claimed to have got phone calls from their departed loved ones, drawing wide attention from both believers and non-believers of religion. While curious crowds were flocking to the town, a single father was determined to find out the truth behind the mysterious calls. What happened thereafter kept me reading with immense interest.

 

I got hooked on the story for a number of reasons. For one thing, the characters are true to life. There is Katherine Yellin, whose deceased sister called and told her about her peaceful life in heaven. Quite taken aback, she felt bewildered at first, but the repeated call gradually drove away her fear and soon she found herself waiting every Friday with her cell-phone in her hand. Six others had a similar experience of receiving the Friday ‘call’ from heaven. They were deemed the ‘chosen ones’, objects of admiration, when the incidents became front page news and claimed network coverage. However, the response was not all positive. Someone with an incurable disease found Katherine’s experience so consoling that he overcame his fear of the afterlife and willingly submitted himself to death. Katherine was then harshly criticized for spreading false hope. Even the church was affected. The increased size of the congregation was no longer a welcome sign as it was doubted whether the attention was on Gospel preaching or on the attempt at actual contact with heaven. In real life, haven’t we sometimes suffered the loss of our dear ones and long so much to seek encounters with them somehow? Are there not people who seek to make a profit by overstating the phenomenon? Do churchgoers really care for spiritual enrichment and for pursuit of the truth? Indeed evidence of human nature abounds in the story.

 

The occasional reference to the invention of the first telephone also adds to the appeal of the story. The writer points out that, whoever the inventor was, the very first telephone conversation contained these words; ‘Come here. I want to see you.’ And ever since then this has been the intention of the users of the telephone. The seven ‘chosen ones’ in the story were so convinced of their contact with the departed souls mainly because of their eagerness to see them again. Bell was told to stop talking nonsense when he mentioned a wire that could transmit the human voice. Likewise, there were protesters who viewed the phone calls from heaven with contempt and disbelief. Then upon royal request, there was a demonstration of the telephone for Queen Victoria. And the event was in the news. Now there would be a TV show broadcast live in which Katherine would be sharing a phone call with the world. Would this justify her claim to the heavenly call? I think the writer has very cleverly made use of the comparison to convey the message that despite the great changes in the models and functions of the telephone, its main use of establishing a link between people remains the same and that our desire to connect and to stay connected is still there.

 

Of course, there is no shortage of thrills to keep the reader on the hook. As mentioned earlier, Sully Harding, the single father, was skeptical of the calls from heaven. He put his life at risk in his search for information that would justify his suspicion of a hoax. Out of the reader’s expectation, the truth turned out to be related to a past incident that had caused his wife’s death and his imprisonment. Did he succeed in solving the mystery? Were the phone calls really from heaven? These are the questions that kept me turning the pages. And you will have to read the book to find out the answers.

A 'tooth' extracted

For someone with a sweet tooth, to abstain from sweet food is next to an impossibility. Until the recent months, that was exactly how I had felt. I never imagined myself saying no to ice-cream, chocolate puddings, cream cakes and cookies. My friends used to joke about my fondness for sweet things. When the sweet congee was served at the end of a Chinese banquet, I was often offered one or two extra bowls, which I accepted with delight. At a buffet, no savory food could beat the desserts for a place in my heart. At a supermarket, the shopping basket was occupied mainly by packaged juice, muffins, wafers and, of course, my beloved chocolates.

But thanks to an ex-student, I have had the sweet tooth ‘extracted’. What has she done? Well, she simply set an example too good to ignore.

I had not met her for quite a while. Then when we happened to cross paths a couple of months ago, I was surprised to find her two sizes smaller. She told me she had given up sweet food. Though half convinced, I decided that there was no harm in having a try. And that was how I started my hectic journey towards sugarfreeism.

Now I can, with a certain amount of pride, report some success. For breakfast, I have oatmeal with corn instead of milk. Crackers have replaced cakes for my afternoon tea. I now walk past a bakery without stopping to stare at the serradura. I will not touch the bowl of sweet congee at a banquet. In brief, I reject all kinds of sweet food.

But what is the sacrifice for, you may ask. Honestly, slimming is what I’ve been trying to achieve. I’ve heard about females losing control over their weight because of a change of lifestyle after retirement. I will not let this happen to me. Even if I fail to lose weight, at least, I must prevent a constant weight gain. This is not only for the sake of a better shape. My knee pain from long years’ standing could worsen if I do nothing to reduce my weight.

Persistence pays. To my delight, I have lost a few pounds. Though the physical difference is hardly noticeable, I feel my health improving. Besides, I take pride in my success in overcoming food temptation. And, definitely I rejoice over the loss of the ‘sweet tooth’.

The Real America

I have an American dream because America is a country closely related to my life though I have never set foot on its soil.

For more than four decades I had been a High School teacher, and America was a curriculum focus of the Geography lessons I taught during the first twenty years. There was a time when technological teaching aids were unknown, and hanging maps and sketches were used instead. However, I preferred to match my teaching with a quick sketch of my own. In fact, sketch maps of the American regions were already imprinted on my mind. I still remember how my students used to marvel at the quickness with which I showed the location of the five Great Lakes and River St. Lawrence. I also showed how the Rocky Mountains act as a climatic barrier between Colorado and California. Lessons on Physical Geography, too, were made more vivid with sketches such as those showing how flood plains on both sides of the Mississippi were formed.

What I favored most, however, were lessons on the early colonization of the American continent. I took great delight in telling my students stories about how immigrants from the European countries underwent the long and difficult journey across the Atlantic with the hope of starting a new life and how they had overcome challenges and obstacles before they finally settled down to a life of peace and freedom.

Today prosperous cities are found where the first thirteen colonies once lay. But stories of the bravery and tenacity of the early settlers are never forgotten. In fact, this part of America, especially the Ellis Island on the Hudson River, is the location that can be seen as the REAL America. The Ellis Island is the base of the Statue of Liberty, assumedly a joint project of the French and American peoples, thus symbolizing the friendship between the two countries. It is also regarded as an icon of freedom and a welcoming signal to the immigrants from abroad. In fact, America is a country known for its invincible efforts to promote freedom and human rights, giving hope to people who find themselves oppressed and abused just like the first immigrants from Europe. The American people are also well liked for their open mindedness and friendliness in many parts of the world, disregarding racial variations. Therefore, when asked about the Real America, I never fail to cite the Ellis Island.

In addition, while preparing my students for TOEFL tests, I was exposed to lots of information about the American culture. The comprehension passages chosen to test candidates’ understanding of various fields of knowledge quite often included historical accounts of early American exploration and settlement. Not surprisingly, I was further impressed by how well the Ellis Island and its vicinity depicted the REAL America.

On the other hand, it is agreed that attention is now focused on America’s dynamic achievements as a Super Power over the past decades. Undeniably, success has been attributed to the efforts of so many who have been educated on the valued principle of freedom for all and acceptance of varied cultures and origins. In this, the Ellis Island, a favorite site for school visits, never fails to play its part.

I have retired since last August, but my attachment to the American culture has not lessened. Instead, I still find it enriching my life. With more time at my disposal, I now read voraciously, both for pleasure and for information acquisition. My favorite books happen to be among the New York Times best sellers such as Jodi Picoult’s and Michael Connelly’s. I take delight in comparing the American teenagers’ problems with those of ours in Macau. I also get thrilled at how skillfully the American lawyers handle a court case. Moreover, I watch CBS news very often. While keeping me well informed, the videos also help me maintain the American accent of my spoken English. Last, but not least, I visit the site of ‘United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ practically every morning for the daily reading of the Bible. I find the audio readings and the video-taped reflections very conducive to my growth in faith.

Yes, I do have an American dream. I hope God will bless me with the opportunity to find myself in a place which I have cherished in my heart for decades. Will the Ellis Island be the same as I’ve seen it so many times in pictures and videos used for my teaching aids? Will my dream materialize before my health fails with the growing age?

A Clean Romance

 

I used to raise my eyebrows at the rising popularity of Korean drama series. Who cares about the dragging stories starred in by actors and actresses who show signs of plastic surgery? But now the night hours find me glued to a much talked about drama series named ‘You who came from the stars’. I am so captivated that I view the episodes one after another, though, consolingly, I still manage to refrain from more than one per day. So what makes the drama so fascinating?

Frankly, handsome guys and pretty girls are a great attraction. Gianna Jun’s face is simply adorable, never with too heavy makeup on and often wearing the lovely, naughty expressions that would seem repulsive on someone else’s face. It’s fun watching her acting like a fastidious child, which again is exclusively her style. Kim Soo hyun, on the other hand, captures attention not with the face but with the dignity and thoroughness he carries. He wins more hearts with his coolness and aloofness rather than with his smiles, which are treasured, though, for their rarity. He also makes mouths gape when he works magic with his eyes, causing books and cups to be flying around, saving a girl from under the wheels of a running lorry. How we wish for a superman like him, and then he sure looks more attractive than the traditional Superman! Besides, their costumes are also fascinating. Being a super star, Jun, as well as the people she moves around, is usually seen in glamorous attire, giving the viewer the feeling of being at a Korean fashion show. Kim’s signature hair style and classics clothing, too, add much to his charm and are adopted by many in some Asian cities.

But there is far more the drama series can boast of apart from pretty faces. The story plot itself is appealing, with elements of humour, romance, horror, suspense and mysteries. Kim’s attachment to a lady in his memories, which he later transfers to Jun because of her resemblance to the former, is a storyline that keeps the whole drama series alive. Knitted between the lovers’ encounters and later engagement in everlasting love are details related to a cunning murder that involves several characters, holding the breath of the audience until the very last moment when the mystery is solved and the cunning criminal gets arrested. There are tear jerking moments when the murderer’s brother, kneeling and sobbing, made known to the father the cruel truth. When the two lovers are bidding each other farewell, unsure of a reunion possibility, the viewer feels heart- broken, too.

One thing I personally appreciate greatly is the absence of violence and sex. Despite the cruelty with which the murderer ended his brother’s life and later his girl friend’s, there are no upsetting scenes of bloodshed. And the intimacy between the lovers is limited to light kisses, which are made amusing with Kim falling sick with a fever afterwards. I am delighted at what I would call ‘a clean romance’ and hope this can convince people to stop considering sex and violence a guarantee for film popularity.

The drama series is very entertaining and is a welcome break from the drudgery of many of the local made TV shows.

Be considerate of the child’s feelings

      

                                          'Thick Toast'

A video featuring a woman ranting and venting on an MTR train has been viewed extensively on the internet recently. She is seen shouting repeatedly at the one who criticized her for allowing her child to eat on the train. The incident has undoubtedly aggravated the long standing conflict between the Hong Kongers and the mainland travelers and also sparked further controversy about the demand for civilized tourism.

The woman’s attitude is disturbing. To cover her embarrassment about being openly denounced, she keeps blaming the accuser for being meddlesome, calling her a busybody. But what upsets me more is her child’s obvious uneasiness. In her attempt to defend herself and the boy, she has unknowingly placed him in an awkward situation. He looks edgy, folding the food package bag repeatedly, signifying his readiness to stop eating. He hides his face behind her, his eyes looking down all the while. Young as he is, he understands how they have become the target of criticism and what makes it more agonizing is that his mother is the one who has started all this. 
 

Now I am not talking about tourist behavior. What concerns me more is how some parents’ public behavior affects their children, disregarding whether they are locals or travelers. I have seen some fathers talking loudly in foul language in the presence of their children. I have also seen a mother scolding her child for refusing to join her queue jumping at a customs checkpoint. Parents are also seen piling their child’s plate with so much food that it would burst his stomach, ignoring his protest and then allowing the food to remain untouched afterwards.  

Do they know what a negative impact such kinds of behavior can have on the child’s growth? The child either feels ashamed of having unreasonable parents or, worse still, he learns from them and becomes an unreasonable person himself. Both are examples of bad parenting with damaging consequences.   

In the case of the ranting mother, she could have apologized for overlooking the warning against eating on the train and could have taken the opportunity to educate her child on social awareness. Those who witnessed the scene would then have been more tolerant and forgiving.   

The woman’s behavior may have been questionable. But it would not be fair for the child to be an object of ridicule as a result of the continuous circulation of the video on the internet. It’s time we put a stop to it.

 

A Stitch Not in Time

This is the twelfth visit to the Tita clinic, a much dreaded experience.

I am now waiting in the parlour with a few other patients. I added my name to the patient waiting list upon my arrival. There were eight others before mine, which meant that I would have to wait for another hour or more. The wait is no less agonizing than that in a dental clinic. You naturally crane your neck from time to time expecting your name to be announced. But when you do hear your name called, you wish it were someone else’s. The treatment is disturbing, if not agonizing. In my case, the discomfort starts with the removal of all the warm clothes, leaving the thin short-sleeved blouse on so as to expose the injured left arm. The treatment involves strenuous rubbing of the injured muscles to activate blood flow. The pain thus caused is actually tolerable. But Mr. Wong, the Tita therapist, always ends the treatment by lifting the arm over my shoulder and then pressing it hard against my back and I have to bite my lips to hold back my tears. Then herbal bandages are applied, which are to be removed after dinner.

What has made this my daily routine for the past two weeks?

On the first day of the Chinese New Year, out of carelessness, I slipped, stumbled and fell. Before I realized what had happened, I found myself sitting on the floor with the whole of my heavy weight resting on the left arm pressed against a cupboard. I struggled to lift myself up and walked back to the bedroom upstairs, not unaware of a few pains here and there, especially in the upper left arm. I could not lift it without feeling an acute pain. As there was no sign of a fracture, I decided that I would not need to see a doctor. Besides, even if treatment was needed, I would have to wait until the end of the New Year holiday.

Thinking that the injury would heal if left undisturbed, I avoided using the left hand. I even boasted of how well I could manage with only one hand. When at last I realized that I needed treatment after all, it was already more than a fortnight since the accident. After examining the injured arm, Mr. Wong frowned and said. ‘If you had come earlier, you could have recovered by now.’

And here I am, spending the main part of the morning waiting for treatment. If there is anything delightful about the visit, it is the walk to and back from it. Before my retirement, I could hardly spare time for long walks,and visits to the Central were few and far between. Now I can enjoy the fun of window shopping in that area closed to traffic. I also meet interesting people at the clinic who give me useful advice on how to nurse the injury by exercising. Above all, I have been engaged in frequent stretching exercises for therapeutic purposes, thus losing some weight, much to my delight.

Of course, the lengthy treatment is too high a cost to pay for such fun. I could have managed with one stitch instead of nine or even more by seeking timely medical treatment.

An interesting retirement engagement

As mentioned in one of my previous blogs, it has been my long cherished wish to take up a distance learning program in Translation. Owing to my tight work schedule over the past years, the wish had not materialized until my recent retirement. Now the course has started for a few weeks and I have already submitted the first monthly assignment.

There is so much to learn about translating English into Chinese. I marvel at the effective strategies to be adopted, some never even thought of and others quite contradictory to what I had once been so used to. I had, for example, often stressed the need for adherence to the original, in both the form and the concept. But I’m now convinced that omissions and additions are acceptable so long as the idea remains unchanged. There is much more to do than merely getting the sentence expressed in a different language. It is important, for example, to keep the tone, which may lead to a slight variation in the language form though. This is not easy, which is perhaps what makes it more interesting.

The examples used are very interesting and useful. They show the clever use of idioms and similes of both languages, thus affording the chance to improve competence in them. It’s fun guessing the right equivalent. The learning process is indeed an experience of adventures, guiding the learner to pursue further and further.

Doing the assignments is a great challenge. To translate what seems to be very simple English into Chinese is no easy task at all. Knowing what the sentence means is one thing and expressing it effectively in Chinese is another. I can’t help attributing my inefficiency to my wrong attitude in the past. To avoid language interference, I had done little Chinese reading and writing. Being an English teacher with little time to spare, I was keen on English reading materials. ‘It is killing two birds with one stone and thus time effective,’ I used to say. The result, pathetically, was gradual deterioration in my Chinese competence. It was only a few years ago when I started posting Chinese articles at the parish websites that I slowly picked up the writing skill.

As the writer of the course book suggests, good translation provides the Chinese people with easy access to useful knowledge from the West. The course now tops the list of my favoured engagements in my retirement life.

天主的祝福

這幾天收到很多電郵及電話傳來的祝福，大都道出對新一年的願望，有基督信仰的，會相互祝願「主賜平安」、「主恩滿溢」等等。我們有沒有想過，天主是如何福祐我們的呢? 有了天主的降福，我們是否真的可以事事順利，生活無憂呢?

上週主日我們慶祝「天主之母節」，當日的福音回顧牧羊人探訪「新生王」的情景；「瑪利亞把這一切事默存在自己心中，反覆思想 (路 2: 16-19) 。」聖經可沒有記載瑪利亞思想的是甚麼？她當時的心情又怎麼樣？但我們可想像得到對她來說，一切經歷都來得太突然，試想一位十多歲的少女，初為人母，還要逃避追殺，即將臨盆時卻找不到落脚的地方，最後要在一個污穢不堪的環境內生產，可說是歷盡艱辛，才把耶穌帶來這個世界。往後的日子亦並不好過，好不容易把兒子撫養成人，卻親眼目睹他受折磨廹害致死。如果瑪利亞生長於中國古代，會被稱為一生都受咀咒的苦命人呢！

但聖經告訴我們，瑪利亞「在女人中是蒙祝福的，她的胎兒也是蒙祝福的 (路1:42) 。」天主是怎樣祝福她的呢？原來，她的「福」在於她有幸參與天主偉大的救恩計劃，在於她有能耐在耶穌的種種經歷中給予陪伴和支持，在於她有堅忍承受耶穌死亡的痛苦，在於她有勇氣協助耶穌門徒建立早期的教會。她是「天主之母」，「教會之母」，我們還會懷疑天主對她的祝福嗎？

由此可見，天主的祝福，遠超於世俗人對生活安逸和身體健康等的期望，「衪沒有應許天色常藍，人生的路途也沒花香常漫。」聖母瑪利亞的一生荊棘滿途，但憑著她的信德和對天主依恃的心，她活出充滿希望的人生。

以下獻給大家一篇很美麗的禱文‘May God make 2014 happy for you’的中譯本，內容清楚地描述出天主是如何祝福我們的。

「願天主令2014成為你喜樂的一年

天主不會為你阻擋傷痛及苦楚，但會給你承受傷痛的能耐；

衪不會為你鋪排坦途，但會給你堅毅，無論前路如何，仍能勇往直前；

衪不會助你逃避困難，但會驅走你內心的怯懦；

衪不會賜你從不間斷的晴天，但會讓你在灰暗的日子裡，仍能保持容光滿面；

衪不會賜你永遠生活無憂，卻會讓你知道哪裡有最需要幫助的人，好使你渴望前往伸出援手。

願在新一年內大家都能得享天主賜予的愛、平安、希望和喜樂！

奉主耶穌之名，亞孟！」

CF