Beautiful Life
Thanks God, he let us living and studying in his creation.
LoveWhen I first met Yvonne in Haikou Jingshan School in China in 1996, we did not have much contact with work. Since we lived in the same compound, we got chance to know each other.
She was the one always dressed clean and neat. Even the wild wind from the south China Sea could not mess up her hair. It made me jealous because my hair had been messed up so badly. The sunlight in Hainan is so hot and bright; she was always interested in everything and looked happier. It transmitted to me some energy to work harder. She put the straw mat which we used to put on bed on her wall and decorated them special and beautiful. It made me want to hang one on my wall!
Sometimes during lunch or dinner, she would hold a plate went to the dinning hall, looking on the strange and unfamiliar food, she shrugged and went back her home with the empty plate. I did not know what she used to fill her stomach instead, but when she went out of her home again, she was still the energetic Yvonne!
I have relatives in America. When they came back to China to visit, there was a big inconvenience for them which was the squatting down toilet. I was guessing she probably had this problem too. And used to worry about her. One time on the school party, she read her dairy to everyone which included the experience she had with the typical Chinese toilet. Her sense of humor made everyone laugh and also got our respect: What made her so much in love with life?
I remember Yvonne once found a lost baby duckling. She took her home and fed her. Since then, the baby duckling was like Yvonne’s child, following her everywhere and everyday! Every morning, it was the duckling’s “good morning” waking her up and in the evening, the duckling would sleep close to her bed. One day, the duckling disappeared, we all were sad, but Yvonne said that the duckling had found her home.
Yvonne liked shopping and made friends with a lady who sold fruit. Even after she came back to America, she still asked friend to say “hello” to the fruit lady. Yvonne also liked to ride bicycles with friends in the countryside; all her friends still remember the wonderful time they spent together. They all have the same impression: Yvonne has the passion of love for life!
Yes, Love. She loves everything around her, she loves everyone around her. Love the world! Love the life! Only there is love in one’s heart, one could be able to love life like Yvonne!
There always is a beautiful picture in my mind: Clean, neat and beautiful Yvonne was walking on the dusty road followed by a yellow baby duckling. The sun was bright, the wind was gentle, and on the side of the road, the blossom of the lotus flower was fresh and charming.
FaithIn July 2000, it was my first time went to Yvoone’s house in Olympia and met her husband Norval. That was my first time came to the US to study. After contacted with her, they came to pick me up for a weekend.
We sat on the balcony, drinking and talking.
Norval asked me: “Have you ever thought about sitting here in my house and drink tea with us?” I really haven’t. I remember when Yvonne left China, in the airport, she wrote her home address and telephone number on a piece of paper and handed it to me: “Please come to my house. You are always welcomed there.” I was touched, but in my mind, I know I would have no chance to use it. I would not have any chance to go to America. So I lost the piece paper.
I answered honestly: “No. I have not thought about it.”
Noval told me: “You need to have faith for life. Many times we don’t know what will happen in the future. But we should never give up on faith.”
Faith! How nice he was teaching me!
In his little farm, there were lots of pears on the tree. And some of them had fallen on the ground. He said, this year the pears were not as good as last year, but I believe it will be better next year.
One day he told me, he has planed his fruit tree for three years and that was the first time to get fruit. There were only 5 fruits on the tree but he believed next year it will be better.
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Faith! If you have faith in your heart, life will be better!
There is always another picture in front of me: Sitting on the balcony, with a glass in hand, Norval is smiling. And on the side of the balcony, there is a big strong pine tree standing there. Near the house there are the beautiful sunset glow , and at the end of the forest , there was the clear blue sky, far more, the shinning water in a lake were dancing and singing.
There is Love, there is happy life. There is faith, there is a better life.
By Dezhang Young Rose at Yvonne & Norval’s 50 years anniversary
Translated by Dreamer
