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.