* The flight. *
It’s a scary long flight of 14 hours ahead. Scary ? Yes, for an old guy way past his 80s approaching his 90, it is more than a challenge to fly across the ocean in a fully packed Boeing with hardly any room to stretch one’s legs or back – especially for me who has got a pain in the leg and a hurting denture in the mouth. I do need a special blessing from the Mighty God to get through the flight, at 30,000 feet above the big wide Pacific Ocean. Getting off the plane, it would still take another 2 hours of bus ride to get to my little home town in the far suburbs of Hongkong, and it needs another taxi ride to reach home I really sighed a big Sigh of Relief when I stepped inside my home – gazing at the Pictures and Icons of Jesus and Mary on the walls of the sitting-room – thanking them with deep gratitude and joy !
The flight itself was not as bad as I thought. The ordeal was much lessened by the sweet smiling hostesses who gave me food and wine abundantly.
Sitting beside me in the plane were two Canadian ladies from Saskatchewan. They were on their long-dreamed-of holiday to Bali in Indonesia. They were more excited in getting there than I was getting home. They were very pleasant to talk to.
I envied those young executives who could settle into a deep restful sleep with their dreams of potential business ahead.
Young couples on their honeymoons were of course more than happy. Their gay laughter and sweet smiles did brighten up the plane cabin and make the clock turn fast. The young students too, in their casual dress and holiday mood, turned the cabin alive with an atmosphere of a school campus. The young girls especially (with their bare legs, …. and with whatever in their pretty body that can be bared) were more than an ice-cream treat to the admiring eyes of man,.. or even to the dim dull eyes of old guys like me, ha ha !
In short, the flight, in God’s grace, went off like a Breeze !
* Caught in the rains. *
It was the next morning after my arrival, I was on my way to the Church and the Bank. Tropical rains suddenly poured down like torrents from the sky. Adding terror to the fury, thunders were roaring and lightnings flashed. The howling winds swept across everybody in the streets and drenched everyone of us with rains from head to toe. Some people, including me, took shelter in a public toilet kiosk nearby.
A few gave up and went dashing through the rains for home.
I was half a mind to call it quits too. But I didn’t budge and kept hiding in the stench of the toilet for about half an hour.
Then lo and behold, the torrential rains eased off just as quickly as it came. I was then able to brave forward on my way to do what I intended to do. And the rains, finding itself no match for God’s mighty Grace, retreated and disappeared in shame for the rest of the day.
God is good, and my important errands were done –
Again like a Breeze !
* God created fine men and fine women *
Monday, July 9, 2012. I met four nice warm good people today.
(1) The 1st two were a grand-father and a grand-daughter from Indonesia:-
I met them in the city tram on the Island side of Hongkong. I was returning from a visit to a Church in Happy Valley ( a church and a district of sweet memories.)
These 2 fine looking people, sitting beside me on the tram, kept smiling at me. Till finally they began talking to me. They told me briefly that they were overseas Chinese from Indonesia, and had returned to Hongkong 15 years ago. They were Buddhists, and were in silk business. They had no trouble with the local intense heat which was mild enough compared to that of Indonesia !
They jokingly said that I had two biggish long ears which looked like their Buddhas and which appealed very much to them. Ha !
(2) The 2nd pair are two Philippine girls :-
They were sitting and playing with their i-phones in the shady Park of the Statue Square in the central district of Hongkong. I was also there resting from the heat of the sun. They kept playing and running around. They looked and smiled at me from time to time. They looked so happy and care-free – two little joyful souls on earth ! They then started to play with their digital cameras, taking pictures of each other – posting and making gestures like 2 little models – indeed very pretty, very natural and very sweet.
Suddenly, to my great surprise, they came to me and asked, in their very girlish and playful ways, whether they could take pictures of me with each of them, I of course said it would be my pleasure.
They then went off bidding me a very warm and sweet ” adios ” !
* A pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes *
I made a visit to the St. Joseph Church in Hongkong Island where there was a beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes ! I did feel like making a pilgrimage as I walked up the steep mountain road under the scorching sun at a temperature of 100 F. It did seem like making my way to Jerusalem – just as far away, with no less difficulty, and with the same firm faith and gratitude.
When as a kid in school, I was taught to pray to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Son of God. All my life, she has answered all my prayers – making all my hopes and dreams come true ! And, even blessings which I dared not ask, were granted to me abundantly and graciously !
I could have stayed there whole day – praying and thanking the good Lady – and still felt not ready to leave. There is so much to be prayed for ! I need so much courage and guidance to be good and worthy !
Her image of Glory and Grace, Beauty and Perfection, will always be with me – sculptured into my body and soul !
* The Treasury *
In order to find out how I could get the $6,000 bonus money for every individual Hongkong citizen, I had to go a long way to find the government Treasury in Wanchai district in Hongkong.
It was a long and treacherous way from home. It took several transit transfers from trains to buses and to underground … plus a long tortuous walk …asking directions all the way… and finally to a maze of high-rise office buildings which were like a bee-hive leading you to nowhere !
It took me a full half day to locate finally the “Treasury” . And, at the end of the endless stresses and torments, I was told that I need not come to the “Treasury” at all. I could simply apply to my local Bank to get the whole thing done for me. I could get the money paid into my personal account.
I really need some super humor in me, to laugh out loud at myself, for having spent a whole day playing ” A Perfect Fool ”
* The Lawyers *
It was my big relief to have come to a (very much delayed but satisfactory) conclusion to the whole affair of the Estate of my late sister Dora. There had been so much head-aches, fighting all the way, month to month, to get it done !
It was also very fortunate of me that I had come to 3 good lawyers to handle the whole affair. They had not only dealt with those very delicate and complicated legal matters with expertise. They had also become my very warm friends.
The total bills for all the legal services could have been colossal, if calculated according to their professional charges. But, the total sum came out to be only minimal – with many items at much reduced costs, and many other items free of charge.
The bill to me is a bill of warm friendship, and not a bill of legal charges ! Besides, this precious friendship had been well proven and demonstrated from beginning to end, requiring more than 140 exchanges of documentary emails in dealing with the matter.
I thank God for this grace and their friendship !
* The Weather *
The Boeing giant plane seemed to have taken me out from an icebox of 6 – 7 C in Vancouver, and then dropped me off into a hot oven of 100 F in Hongkong. I was simply being roasted alive, in the relentless heat !
Even sitting quietly indoor with an electric fan going, I had to change my sweat shirts several times a day. I had to take long drinks of water to abate my thirst and take repeated showers to cool off – not unlike an elephant dipping his long nose down into a pool to drink, and to shower himself with his trunk. I now understand why ducks prefer paddling in the ponds or streams where there is ample cool water to duck under !
* The People “
The younger population, the young dragons, have now learned to be more polite and more respectful to older people. They readily give their seats on buses and trains to Seniors, and always ready to help them in whatever way they can.
But, the people in general, in both China and Hongkong, they were all given away to material comfort and tempted to live beyond their means. They seemed to live only for today. Yesterday to them was too far gone, and tomorrow might not come. So, what’s more real than today, and what wisdom is there other than seizing at all pleasures here and now ?
However, it appears that this is not only a problem in China, it is becoming a world-wide trend !
* The Outlook *
The sleeping Dragon, lying asleep for centuries, is now fully awaken. It is fully aware of the need to keep abreast with other nations in economics, politics, technology, as well as agriculture, industries, education and culture …..etc.etc. The nation has the advantage of a vast population which provides a huge market to support all forms of economic growth. Light industries (for garments and daily use products, electrical and plastic articles for home use, books and stationery for schools, everything we buy in the dollar stores) are developing rapidly. Heavy industries like car production and ship building are catching up with other advanced nations. Cities are being modernized and linked with a dense network of road and rail communications.
In short, the nation is moving fast ahead, and in the right direction.
* Communication *
I’ve personally seen some of those modern freeways. They were not only well designed and built, they are also made pleasing to the eyes with landscaping on both sides of the roadway – reducing eye-fatigue for drivers and adding safety to driving. Railways and trains are also being built with speed, comfort and safety in mind. The world’s fastest bullet trains from Beijing to Shanghai have recently been open for use. Business executives can now come and go between the two cities to conduct their business in one day, on a round trip. These roads and railways are masterpieces of art and engineering. We can see many of them in Videos and T.Vs.
* Education *
Full efforts are being put into the education fields.
Very well staffed and equipped elementary and secondary schools had been built in most towns and cities. Full fledged sporting fields and swimming pools have become the pride of each individual township. Kids are being taught to grow strong in their bodies as well as in their mind.
Academic studies and degrees in universities are awarded to those endowed with the zeal and talents for them. Shorter technical courses for business or engineering etc. are provided in Technical Colleges. Students can go straight into jobs in their specialty fields. Scholarships and study loans are given to students qualified for advance courses or degrees in countries abroad, such as England, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Australia etc.etc.
There are now ample opportunities for talents.
* Farming, irrigation and flood control *
China, with its vast territories, is mainly a farming country.
A good irrigation system is therefore most important to provide water for farming. An extensive network of irrigation channels and canals is underway for purposes of farming as well as for controlling floods which were disasters plaguing many provinces in China.
Modern machinery and farming technology are being introduced to farmers. And their produce were quickly sold due to the much improved network of communication. The farmers are now much better off than before.
* Cultures *
The Chinese are quick in absorbing new cultures. Throughout the centuries, China preserves and promotes even the very rare cultures of the small ethnic groups. And now, doors are wide opened for all the cultures of the Western world. Most western dresses, foods and lifestyles are being fully blended into the Chinese cultures. Coca Cola and McDonalds are now a familiar drink and favorite eating place in China.
China is in essence a multicultural nation !
* Leaders *
In every country, even in every little groups of people, we need leaders. And in our olden days, we chose our leaders from the older folks who had more education and more experience in Life.
But, now in China, we see a very surprising new trend. This very heavy duty of leadership is being put in the hands of newly trained young boys or girls in their early 20s. I’ve personally met some trade groups of young people in New York while on-board ferry boats. They were all young Managers of different pharmaceutical or garment companies on their world tour of business and orientation.
My own reasoning for this new trend is perhaps similar to putting new young drivers in very expensive race-cars. Their daring and soaring spirits might sometimes crack up costly cars. But they are the ones that can create new records and bring new results !
Well, good luck to this new trend.
Good luck to the young leaders.
Good luck to China !
* Epilogue *
I have learnt on this trip the importance and beauty of “Patience” and “Acceptance”. Move anger out of the way, and put in its place understanding and pardoning by reasoning from all possible angles.
There is a Chinese saying that “Stepping back one step will leave plenty of room (spacious as the sky and wide as the ocean) to move ahead again.” and “Holding one’s anger for one single moment can calm the wind and waves in a stormy sea and restore peace over an ocean.”
I’ve also learnt to keep in mind and bring to life those quotable quotes, such as:-
“If you see someone without a smile, Give him / her one of Yours ! ”
or
” A cheerful heart and a smiling face, bring sunshine in the darkest place ! ”
etc. etc.etc.!!! !!! !!!