Prose / 散文
Friend 30 – Raindrops, 雨点
I’m so glad to see rainfall after 10 days of smoggy experience. The rain touches the ground, the colorless water colored the pale and grayish land where we lived.
经过十天的浓雾笼罩，今天终于看到无色的雨点，在我们这片灰土无色的地方涂上色彩。
We smell the nature gratefully. We saw the smiley plants and flowers, and the relief of the concrete floor dancing with smoke.
我们终于嗅到大自然的气息，看到植物与花朵的笑颜与地面上跳舞的水蒸气。
We saw peoples happily hiding under the roof. We heard thunder visiting by the window side, witnessed the birth of rain from the sky.
我们看见人们开心地躲进屋檐下，听见窗外的雷鸣声与雨丝如何从天空里落下。
I felt something moving in my heart. Shouldn’t we realize, shouldn’t we cherish the piece of land we are living?
这一刻，有一样东西在我心里头遄动，我们难道还没发觉，如何去珍惜这片土地？
Friend (29) – The sweet and bitterness of life
There’s this 5-piece English historical building theme coasters sticking on my kitchen wall for many years. I recalled it’s a gift from a friend some 20 years ago. This friend was a full-time architect and a part-time chorus conductor. I was then a lame singer in the choir.
We rarely talk, not because he is a discipline guy but I guess it’s my introvert personality that fails to break the communication barrier. Not long after I left the choir as I need to spend more time on personal enhancement.
Yet, I was surprised by a surprise. I received a souvenir from him through my sister who is also a choir member. I came to know that he bought me the gift during his Europe tour. As he knew I have a penchant for architectural stuff and he specially choose this theme for me.
I recalled I was stunned and moved by this friendly thoughts. On social ground I should at least give him a ring to deliver my gratitude. But I didn’t, as I wasn’t a person good at expressing myself. Yet, my way of displaying my gratitude is to hang the coasters on my kitchen wall. Everyday, the coasters remind me of this nice, gentleman I’ve met in this lifetime.
Lately, I came to know that he’s facing some upheaval in life. It’s not easy to meet up again, but I’ll like to take the opportunity of this write-up to wish him all the best and have all his good wishes come true. At least, there is also another man like him, who’s always standing behind, tasting the sweet and bitterness of life with another….Be blessed, my long lost friend!
Friend (28) – The backyard friends
Backyard is not only a place for laundry or cooking matters. Backyard is a place where I could natters and observes my green friends grow. Though, space is a concern and constraint, we have to live with it. To me, space is not about how much you own, it’s all about how much you’re optimizing it.
We can’t change the size of the box, but we are able to change the setting within. A potted plant wouldn’t obstruct our movement so much. But when you feel so sick about the piled up laundry and the undone dishes, take a glance at this little green fairy, it’s smiling at you. You would be sure, all along you are not doing the mundane work alone.
后院不止是一个可以让我们晾衣服与展示厨艺的地方，它也是一个提供我们与绿色朋友交流的地方。虽然无法改变空间，还要去适应它。但对我而言，空间不在于你拥有多少，而是你利用了多少。
当然，外在的局限我们无法改变，我们也只好从内在的设计着手。就好比放一小盆植物，相信它不会占用你多少空间。而它的魅力就是当你把厨房的工作看做叠成山的碗碟当儿，你无意识地看它一眼，这绿色仙子其实在对着你微笑。这时你才了解你不是孤独的。
Sometimes, they will laugh over my cooking skill.
有时侯，它们会在那儿取笑我的厨艺。
Sometimes, they feel so shy to tell you.
有时侯，它们会不好意思告诉你。
Sometimes, they just can’t breath over the oily stuffs and trying to jump out of the window.
有时侯，它们会受不了油烟而逃出窗外。
You can consider owning air plant, if space is really constraints.
如果空间真的局促，可以考虑种植空气凤梨，空气草。
Some are slim and elegant.
因为有些即修长又优雅。
Some are just very space compromising.
有些还有包容心。
Most importantly, we need a space for green within ourselves.
最重要的是，心里要有绿色空间。
Friend (27) – My yummy day
I didn’t finish up the yam I bought the last moon-cake festival, it’s still lying in my fridge for several months.
By chance, I took out one of them and decided to grow it in a pot. I treat it as part of my lucky prediction, I guess…! Incredibly, it started to grow within a few days! The process reminds me that things are just there all along, we just need to be patient and wait for the time to ripe.
Sometimes, we believe to be efficient, we need to get things done immediately. But sometimes, it just doesn’t work that way and the results may not turn out in your favor. Then, we feel frustrated and miserable; hence to buy more time is the priority we have to approach.
No doubt, there isn’t a deadline to stomach this piece of yam, but still, a sense of guilt creep in, as I never finish up my food. But gladly, by not consuming it, give the yam an un-expecting livelihood and gave me a chance to relate this wonderful story.
The yam makes its way out of the other side of the green. It’s vital enough to inspire hope on us. Just as you thought life is withering, it could be just the beginning, like the pearl drop.
How can I bear to finish him up and burp with contentment? Just as my wish for this year need to be justified. I wish him a speedy growth. So that he can be my umbrella, shade me underneath his arm from the sun and rain.
We shall weep, hug each other and watch the sun go down together.
Thank you, my friend!
Friend (26) – My Pair of Sandals
This pair of sandals has been with me for the past 8 years. We have gone through life’s ups and downs, tasted the sweet and bitterness. No regrets, I would say, cheers to what we have been through these years!
Thank you for being my toes protector, guardian to my feet. You shade me from sun and rain. Even though the coverage is not complete, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Together, we search for the greens, stroll through the years looking for hope and revival. Staying in tune with nature, tolerated the attack of the insect troopers. We interviewed the leaves, chat with the plants, invited trees to be our guests. We worked as a team to be a green ambassador, rejuvenate our souls and even water the dry earth.
We traveled to Dubai, open our eyes and brighten our vision. We landed on Yanggon together, shaken by their cultures and warmness. We have seen many dark side of human and also seen many as bright as the holy land. The sandy roads we have traveled made your body wear and tear. The crack on your body reflected you have aged. But you have no complaints. I feel so sorry about it.
Thank you once more for what you have done for the past 8 years. You make my life more vibrant and wonderful. I’ll remember the many roads we have walked past. How many stories we have shared and how may days and nights we have roamed around. You were my true companion and going to be my friend of remembrance. I’ll put every individual scene I could remember in my book. Each page is linked. It’s just like the bond of our friendship. It’ll be penned down just like the beginning of a newborn, till your golden age, I’ll never forget.
I’ll remember you my friend, as a long journey companion and friend. Thank you.
Friend (25) – I am so glad you have grown up, my friend
On 21 August 2012, I posted a post on Peacock plant under ‘My Friend’ series. During that time, this plant was young and tender and I wish he’ll be growing happily like a kid.
6 months down the road, I heard him greeting me this morning. This one-foot tall kid greets me first thing in the morning. Before that, I don’t really pay attention on him. Reason being that I have too much things to care for in my secret garden. Also, too much thing to meddle on my daily job.
And to my surprise, this little kid has grown up to be a one-foot tall gentleman. When I talk about his greetings it’s as simple as just a warm stare at each other. I’m just too amaze about his speed of growing which is more than what I have expected!
There is a Chinese saying’无心插柳柳成阴”, literally means unintentional actions may bring unexpected success. I was truly enlightened by this word of wisdom!
Again, it is a sight I am looking for in this atmosphere of spring! It doesn’t matter how exuberant he is, or how much fruits he will be baring, I am looking at his uplifting spirits, his will to put enough effort to penetrate hardship and go through obstacles. Fruits or flowers are just extra bonuses!
Friend (24) – No Doomsday but Dawn is here / 朋友- 末日早晨
A thin layer of fog floating on the grass, just awaken. That’s the face of nature’s pure, perfect face under the escort of the Divine. No one can help not to give it a second glance…on the day after doomsday, on the morning after doomsday; a brand new morning!
一层薄薄的雾气，漂浮在刚苏醒的草地上。那是一张大自然的脸孔，单纯无瑕，在神的护航下，让人不禁多望一眼。
这玛雅传说后的第一天。
这玛雅传说后的第一个早晨。
Cool air and blue sky, accompanied by the sounds of insects hidden in the green grass, I rejoice with the miracles in my eyes and the warm in my heart.
清凉的空气与湛蓝的天空，伴着草地里的虫鸣声，我的眼睛被这一幕神迹吸引。一股喜悦在心里满满的被滋润。
Standing outside the fence, asking myself how often do I witness nature with his hazy eyes. While eveyone is busy with the myth of the Apocalypse, the new day has gradually emerge, never deceptive, never turn up late with hesitation. Giving everyone a fair day of his own.
篱笆外的我伫立片刻，试问我们这一生，有几何见证大自然睁开朦胧眼睛的样子。当大家还忙于世界末日的传说，新的一天已经在那儿慢慢耘酿，毫不虚假，毫不迟疑，每人一份公平的一天。
How far you go with the 24-hour is up to you. You can walk a distance with it and you can fly far with it. Paint this canvas of the sky with your own colours, you may obtain your own rainbow or may not even sell it for a penny.
每人一份24小时的天空，你要走多远，随你。你要飞多远，也随你！这幅天空随你用什么颜料去涂彩都行。用心画会有彩虹，没用心的当然卖不出一分钱。
I am not fearful of the end of the world, I am more apprehensive when the world lost its sight of light. Then, front with tract of the sunray, doesn’t it have enough to shoot through the doomsday? We don’t even have to debate about it!
我不怕世界末日的到来，我只关心这世界有没有曙光。但眼前这道旭日足以射穿末日的那一端，还要争论吗？
Friend (23) – Falling is Just Another Form of Dancing / 朋友- 跌倒又跳舞
Road, it is born for us to tread on. For a life time, we flatten and walk on it for countless time. Yet, when it is uneven, we start to complain about it, and when we trip on it, we grumble on our own bad luck.
Yet, if you are lucky, you board the broad sunny way with pleasant scenery and you say, “well, I created my own road”. Then, many a times, we step on mud, collide with stones, cross the tough Himalayas, go against the tide of the Atlantic. And again, this is the time you started to question yourself on the road you are travelling.
The day I nearly slip and fell on a mossy floor along the corridor. In the midst of panic, I felt I fell with a beautiful stance, and started to understand the fact that a fall can be swift, yet graceful and poise.
Life is filled with swiftly changes and it is a stage with ups and downs. Rather than complaining it being slippery, why not help things along; have a dancing fall, slide out your steps with a spring, as Spring is not far away from us!
路，它一生下来就被人踩，我们一路踩在它身上，一生一世不知来来去去走过几回。它一不平坦我们就抱怨连天，一打滑就怪自己运气不佳。
如果幸运的话，上了康庄大道，一路上风和日丽，景色怡人，你说路是自己走出来的。但很多时候事与愿违，很不幸地踩到的都是烂泥，碰撞都是石子，跨的是喜玛拉雅山，逆流的是大西洋。这时你又会不竟地问这是一条什么样的路？
那天我差一点在有青苔的走廊上打滑，慌张之余，感觉自己跌倒的姿势蛮美的，领悟出其实跌倒也要跌得优美，跌得韵味，跌得坦然。
人生舞台起起落落，与其埋怨路滑，不如来个顺水推舟，以跳舞的方式跌倒，滑出一个春天，反正春天离我们不远了。
Friend (22) – Small vegetation / 朋友- 小植物
We often stop by the road, and notice small little plants piercing their way out from crack line or slit of wall.
The small vegetation can operate in a small corner of the sky, with a feeble body, in a harsh environment. The struggling spirit is respectable.
We feel this resilient power in countless people. As there is no overnight success, just like swaying from a bumpy sea, the myth of achievement often emerged from diligence and spirit of hard work.
While we look around in all places, we see people, especially the blue collar workers; day in, day out, they are able to work under harsh environment, at long hauls. This proves that the small plant is not diminutive at all, as it has an attitude that is bigger than life itself!
我们在路边,墙缝或台阶都时常看到那些从细缝里钻出来的小植物。
小植物能够在小角落经营自己的天空，用柔弱的身体在恶劣的环境中以柔制刚，打造出一番事业，这种精神令人可敬。
我们可以在无数的人身上感受这种力量，勤奋以及一步一脚印的打拼精神。他们不是一夜成名的神话，而是在颠簸飘摇的海上走出来。
举目环顾周围的小人物，尤其是蓝领工人，能在这么恶劣的环境里工作，不就印证小植物那令人敬佩的生活态度吗？
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