Tuesday, July 04, 2006
I had to put this down, before my memory of significant signs disappear like the wind.
I had a different taxi ride home today, something that i've not experienced before. Feeling so lazy to wait for a 317 after i missed one, i decided to cab home. And it may be one of the few WAKE-UP-REFLECT periods of my life.
The uncle greeted me with a very nice smile on his face, turning around to welcome me into his taxi, he asked for my destination face-to-face, unlike all the other you-can-only-see-my-eyes-through-the-mirror drivers. Then he started the meter and a voice filled with disappointment that there wasn't the peak period charge anymore (8:05pm) said to me in chinese "time passes real fast" and i replied IN CHINESE "yes, it passes very fast" while i reflected on my day at school.
So then the conversation started. He told me that time is precious, just like life. But a pity some don't appreciate it until it's gone (and like in drama movie, we pass by two cars that just met with an accident). Then he asked me if I was a Buddhist or Christian, and I replied a Christian, STILL IN CHINESE.
But the thing that makes this trip more significant than any other catechism in church, is the questions he asked me that struck me. He asked, "What do they do in church when you go there once a week". Dumbfounded me had no idea on what to say or how to describe anything to him, other than pray. Could you? So he told me it is to learn to live good, to believe in Christ, to follow His ways, and to respect Him with the respect He deserves. And there I felt bad.
And so I listened to him talk abit about his Buddhism religion, until I said (finally something smart) "Whether or not we're Christians or Buddhists, all religion teaches us to be good, to live a good life." And BAM!!! He shoots me down with this, "Definately, but whether they become good or not is a different thing" STILL IN CHINESE. His words, were so good to start me thinking of how I have benhaved. And there I felt worst.
So he talks and talks till we're almost reaching my house, he asks another question "How long have you been a Christian?". And it came to him as a surprise that I have been a Christian since I was born. That started me thinking, it is the truth that I have been a Christian since I was born. That definately has to have some impact or significance in my life, and maybe there are things I should be doing. And there I felt terrible.
And the final question that made me decide to write this today, "Are You Happy?". And I confidently replied "YES!". He returned me my change with, "Everyday? Even if something bad comes your way?". And flashes of distrubance, sadness, quarrels, heartbreaks, disagreements with friends and love ones fly in and out of my mind, and I realised, these never stay for long, it's the happiness that keeps the burning flame alive.
He ended it with a very warm smile face-to-face again, and a nice heartening comment "You have a good life young one, you have lived well, and treasure the rest of it, Good night." This, made me reflect back on the happiness that I have had, the laughters the smiles, the joy and the friends, my love ones and everything that I have. How blessed and lucky I feel, with things that I may have taken for granted. My journey through life so far hasn't exactly been very smooth, but it has been a great ride with many challenges and risks, yet I know, it's me who is going to make it smoothy sailing for the rest of my life.
AND FIY, THE WHOLE CONVERSATION WAS IN CHINSE. WO-HUI-JIANG-HUA-YU
Kristine