Turning the Lights on

How these, random acts of, kindness, from complete, strangers can, touch our lives and the effects of their kindness surely are, ever-lasting, translated…

Some twenty years ago, I’d gone to stay at California for a short while, after supper I’d still gone on a stroll like I would when I was at home, I’d often strolled by the residential estates, to work out for starters, and to get a closer look at the locals’ gardens, the quietness was what made the years memorable to me; but, what touched me the most, was the lights on the front porch that the local residents left turned on for the strollers to be able to see better in the nights.  How the lights were, motion-activated, lighting up the path before me.  Many a year later, these sensor lights became, more prevalent here in Taiwan, that was when I’d, realized, that I may have, interpreted, too much, into what I’d felt back in the U.S. on my trip from back when.

now, imagine the streets with houses of lights turned on out front…helping to light up the way, for those, coming home at night…photo from online

Switching gears to May of 2021, the unannounced power outages came, in the darkness, the inconvenience, I’d found, that sense of warmth of the light too.

It was seven in the evening, I’d walked that path I’d walked for over a thousand times home, the street became too dark beyond my recognition, someone used the flashlight on their cell phone to light up the way; but the bigger light came, from the local residents, the families put out their flashlights in front of their homes, some hung on the first-floor front doors, some on the second floor balconies, those lights that are up and down, are all the love, compassions of the local residents, not for themselves, but for those, who are, heading home at night, to get them safely, home.

You may be, on that path, with the dimly lit light, but, there’s, that warmth from within, and, the steps you stepped felt, lighter, and, you’d started, humming that song as you walked onward.

And so, this, is from the kindness of, complete strangers that offered that light to light the way, for the passersby to their, neighborhood, because they know that there’s, a need for those out and about to see the way, and offered their kindness to those around them.

The Help that Came, on Time

Blessings of day-to-day life, acts of kindness, from stranger, on her trip to the local marketplaces, translated…

Went to the Fuhe early market places to shop, dragged along a basket full of vegetables, fishes, fruits, as I hauled onward, there was, that feeling of, I can’t go any further, then came, “Miss, Miss, you’d lost a wheel on your cart!”

Turned around to look, a man in a red jacket, picked up that tiny wheel, called out to me loudly.  Ahhhh!  How will I, drag these, over ten kilograms’ worth of groceries home?  I’d taken the wheel from the man, stood dumbfounded, not knowing, how I would be able to, do it, suddenly, an older woman with silvery her took out a tiny pin from her purse, told me, “try this!”

a cart full of groceries like this…

photo from online

She’d, placed the needle of the pin through the wheel of my shopping basket, put the padding across, then, placed that needle of the pin through the holes, and, it’d, worked, steadied the wheel in its place, so my shopping basket doesn’t, fall, apart.  I’d, pressed my cart to lower it to tilt, the smaller wheel wasn’t used anymore, and I was able to, haul my cart full of groceries home using those two larger wheels.

I’m more than grateful for the man who’d caught my wheel as it’d rolled off, along with the older woman who’d given me that pin, with their helps, I was able to, successfully, get my cart’s worth of groceries, home.

This still showed, how easy it is, to offer the help that someone needs to them, and, by the random acts of kindness shown to this woman, this woman was able to find something wonderful in her day, and I’m sure, she’d become, infected too, with that sense of help, that she would be more than likely, to help someone else in need, at a later time when she comes across someone else who’s, in need of, assistance.

The Companion Study Buddies of College Years, Hand-in-Hand, Helping the Children in the Distant-Regions

A story of hope, something we’re, lacking in this day and age now, off of the Front Page Sections, translated…

For the past weeks, it’d been, very cold here in Taiwan, but, there was something heartwarming in Taichung worth mentioning.

This was started by the students of Fengjia University.  The students were preparing for the finals week, with the temperatures dropping down, and they’d, made the time, to go to the mountains of over 2,000 meter above sea level to bring the kids studying in the elementary schools up in the mountains to the cities, to experience life in the cities, and university life, opening up the eyes of these young elementary school age children.

Lishan is 160 kilometers away from the Fengjia University it’s the largest, least densely populated, with a large area location in the city’s districts, the land area ranked fourth, and there are only about 10,904 people who live there locally.  From before, when the only road was the crosspath of the locale, but since the earth quake of September 21^st, the foundations of the entire passage had been severed off sectionally.  And currently, there were the three opening times for the locals of Lishan to go in and out.

“Companionships from University, Bringing Kindness to the Distant Regions” is a social responsibility project set up by the Fengjia University, two years ago, the program started helping with the transportation of elderly people in Lishan to the hospital, and set up the work stations in the local communities.  In the field researches that the university conducted, they’d found, that the greater Lishan Region had the “ten days on, four days off” scheduling that was very unique in Taiwan.  And so, the teachers of the schools in Lishan all climbed up the mountains to give the lessons, and because of the way being too far off, the schools and the parents decided, that the teachers should hike up the mountains, teach for ten days, then, hike back down the mountains, have four days off, and yet, the parents of the area mostly worked in farming, and for the four days off (usually from Friday to Monday), the parents couldn’t find the time to watch over their own young, nor could they keep track of where their children are, and it’d, caused the students to not have anything constructive to do, exposed in the dangerous conditions, and causing the troubles for the communities, as well as the families too.

The Fenjia Team after discussing with the local communities and the church, they’d decided to combine the Hoping Elementary, the local church, the Wenhwa Health Station, as well as other parties, pushed forth the “Work-Stay program”, inviting the college age students to accompany the children in Lishan afterschool, and, as the teachers take their time off and hiked down the mountains, the college students would, hike up to stay and keep the children company, to use the group activities, and the character education courses, to guide the students to behave themselves right.  While the tribal churches would, provide the college students with the room and board programs, and the students get to have a firsthand experience of the lacking of the distant regions at the same time.  Last week, this group of college students hosted a fundraising for this group of children in the Lishan Elementary School to come down the mountains for a trip, hosting the two days one night, city and university experience, and found the enterprises that will help with the room and board of these children during the time.

In the company of the college students, the children got to experience the city for the very first time in their lives.  They’d visited the Natural Sciences Museum, the Opera House, the Fengjia University campus, as well as the Taichung city hall too, and at the same time, the kids had a steak lunch with the city councilpersons.  This sort of a city tours, other than immersing the children into life in the big city, to experience different ways of life than what they are accustomed to, it’d also given the kids a better understanding of their environments, as well as giving them a deeper understanding of the occupations available to them too.  The next stage, we’re thinking of how to lead the college students into the tribes to conduct the field researches, and the community designs, using the university as a base, to push forth the revitalization of the tribal regions.

There are so many needs from the distant regions in Taiwan, that the local governments can’t look after on their own.  We hope, that in the near futures, there would be, more college instructors who are willing and able, to go to the distant regions, to accompany the children, to utilize the passions of the college students, and the energies, to open up the roads of these distant regions, to instill hope, in these, tribal areas.

And so, this, is a great program that the university had, started up, and the key is to make it last long-term, that it won’t be just for three minutes, until the heats cooled down, it’s a great plan, and, the steps to making this work is slowly taking place, and we need more people who are, willing and able, to give to the children living in these, distant regions.

The Warmth of a Shopping Bag

The kindness from, an unknown stranger toward you, and now, you’re, passing it along, see how one tiny act of kindness, can generate a whole lot of kindness in the world?  Translated…

I’d often heard the saying, “the most beautiful sight in Taiwan are the people!”, and I’d, also heard the evidences from others to prove otherwise, but, based off of my own personal experiences, the statement is, absolutely, TRUE!

On a day of light drizzles, I’d gone to a supermarket to pick up some things, after I’m done shopping, I’d carried the paper bags full of groceries, stumbled, to the bus stop, and, the pavement was wet and slipper, and, I’d lost my foothold, and fell flat on my face, can you imagine how bad I’d, looked!  I’d, struggled to get myself back up on my feet again, and, I’d found, that the paper bag I’d carried my groceries in had ripped wide open, and everything was, scattered all over.  This was, probably, the WORST fall I’d ever had, in recent, years!

a hand of, kindness is all that’s, needed in this world…photo from online

As I became flustered, there came, a bag into my field of vision, with the cutesy bear print on it, followed by this, voice of an angel, “are you all right?  Here, take this bag!”, a tall girl, held her hand out for me to hold to get back up on my feet, I’d looked at that folded neatly shopping bag, cried aloud, “that, is exactly, WHAT I need!” but then, I’d, hesitated, “then, how should I, return it, back to you?”, the young woman who seemed like a working class member smiled, “you don’t need to!”  and I’d, collected everything that fell out, then, that cute bag didn’t look that huge but, it’s, big enough for everything I had bought; I’m guessing, that the extra space, must be from, that young lady’s, compassion then.

From that day forth, I’d also, carried an extra, folding bag inside of my regular shopping bag, because I knew, that there’s a tiny chance of me, running into, that young woman again, but I can, pass her sense of kindness to others who are in need.

And so, this young woman may not know it, but her “tiny” act of kindness, had rippled outward, and, it will keep getting bigger, bigger, bigger, like how one solitary drop of water that fell into that pond of things, expanding, outward.  And to think, that all of this, started with, one helping hand toward someone in need, and that someone being, a stranger too!

Forever Accompanying You

A developmentally delayed child that contributes to her family in her own way, translated…

My daughter in developmentally delayed, and a companion for the families, she’d accompanied the three generations.  The years changed, she will always be, a white sheet of paper, with the words of gratitude out of her lips, smiling.

Before the birth of my daughter, she’d been blessed upon by my grandmother.  My grandmother became a widow at twenty-eight, lonely her whole life, toward this baby great granddaughter, she’d felt that she was a grace from God, that she needed to love her very much.

After my daughter was born, we saw that she was limp in her limbs, with diminishing capacity, after a long road of treatment from the physicians, nothing worked.  During that age there’s no early intervention programs, and I had to work, can’t stay home to look after her, so I can only, move in with my own grandmother, and she’d, welcomed us with her arms wide open.

“Dear, come, a hug!”, grandma opened up her arms, my daughter ran toward her, like she was a pet that my grandmother kept, she’d slept with my grandmother too at night.  My daughter accompanied my grandmother for a whole of twelve years.

After grandmother passed, I’d placed her in an institution, on Monday I’d sent her into boarding, on Saturday, I’d taken her home.  This was a difficult period for her, as she came home happy on Saturdays, but when Monday came around, she’d started crying hard, throwing her tantrums, rolled on the ground, refused to get taken away, she was only fourteen then.

My mother moved in with me at her old age, I’d taken my daughter home so my mother could have company, during the daytime, my daughter went to daycare, and arrives home at four in the afternoon, and my mother looked after her with great care, they’d loved and cherished one another so, until my mother too had, passed away, my daughter had accompanied my mother for a whole of ten years.

After I retired, I’d taken her to a ton of group outings, to help socialize her into life of the community, my life, is her life too.  Companionship is the BEST gift of life, companionship doesn’t cost anything to hire someone from the outside, with the families there, keeping each other warm.  Although my daughter is not intelligent, but putting her in the right place, she’s still, a contributor.

And now, she’s, in her fifties, and as I got older, I’d found how wonderful she truly is, she’d had a ton of love from home, very spirited every day, it’s like the Holy Bible said, “everything works together, everyone benefitted.”

And so, this, is the “use” of this developmentally delayed child to the family, she’s great companionship for the elders, and now, her mother realized this finally, and now, the mother and daughter will live together, until the end.

An Ordinary Story, with Extraordinary Love

A story, that warms up the human hearts, what we’re, in need of more, especially, today, from the Front Page Sections, translated…

I saw a heartwarming report on the papers: this February, there was, a pitbull that seemed to have been abused by humans started wandering around the mountains, and got noticed by the hikers, and was named, “Flower” by the flowers.  His story got passed among the hikers, and everybody hoped that he could be, lifted off the mountains, and receive the care and attention he’d, needed.  The mountain worker, Yong-Hong Chang (Hong) started looking after him when he’d gone up the mountains, helping the dog to reestablish the trust, and, had tried to bring him down many times.  But maybe, it’s the bad experiences Flower had from human interactions from before, she’d, always, run off scared, as she got close to the entrance of the hiking trails.  At the start of July, the hikers all worked hand-in-hand, and, Hong and his friend, started up, this rescue mission.  And after sixty whole hours, they finally got Flower, to follow them to the entrance of the hiking trails.  And this time, Hong ignored the pains from his fractured wrist, and, carried Flower, who was close to twenty kilograms onto the car—and, without a leash, or any sedation—he finally, led Flower, out of that patch of mountainous woods she was, once lost in, took her down the mountains, to get her the treatments and care she needed to get.

In all of the millions of news headlines that flashed across our eyes daily, this tiny little article, it’d, caught the writer’s heart.  As I read this story, that surge of warmth flowed through me.

the kindness toward animals, photo from online

I used to have a dog, Happy, who was with me for twelve whole years, he was a black lab, grinning ear to ear always.  The interactions of man and dog, transpire between words, and, I’d had the depth of experiences, and understood, how it felt for the animals who were, abused by humans in their lives, how hard it would be, to regain that lost trust in human again.  And because of this, as the paper described how the man, Hong lost track of Flower, he’d started calling aloud, “Flower, Flower”, then, a black shadow came dashing out of the forest, run toward him, and all I can say, is such a heartwarming scene that was.

There’s, this, extraordinary surge of energy in the midst of the mountains.  Not just between the man, Hong, who’d, rescued Flower; from how the hikers shared the stories on social media, to how they mapped out the rescue routes, how they contacted the wildlife reserves locally, to taking the dog to the vet, to placing her……it’s, everybody who’d, chipped in, making this deed possible!  The thought of “hoping he’ll be happy and healthy” became the primary force, which made this heartwarming, deed, with some levels of difficulty, possible.

I’d heard a story: on the beach after a certain typhoon came and went, a young girl started, picking up the starfish, and throwing them back into the oceans.  An elderly man who’d, been through the ups and downs of life asked her, “Child, what would be the purpose of doing this?  Toward this beach full of starfish, you’re, only, able to make a difference to the limited few?”, the child opened up her eyes wide, “Thank you sir, I don’t have the answer to that, I just know, that for the starfishes I’d tossed back into the oceans, their lives are, saved.”, the words of this young girl, showed the power of a greater sort of love.  The story of Hong and Flower, it’d, made me see the extraordinary love, from a story, quite ordinary.

a video of how a dog waits, at the same spot, to be, rescued by humans, off of YouTube

In 2020, MERS-CoV had, taken over the world, and, it’s even worse, for those who are, living hard, plus the natural disasters, the bad policies from the lawmakers, how people are currently being, taken advantage of daily.  In this upsetting moment, allow the story of “Hong and Flower”, to warm all our hearts.  And you and I can think on, how do we within our own means, show those around us the love, and care we have to show.

And so, this, is exactly, the kind of stories that there’s more of a need for right now, because, there’s, a ton of bad things going on in the world right now, the world’s, going up in flames, murders, natural disasters, made worse by manmade errors, etc., etc., etc., and we are, in desperate need for these sorts of tiny little stories, that warms our hearts.

Sir, I Want Some Baked Goods that Are, Imperfect

The acts of kindness, initiated by the owner of the bakery, and it warms everybody who knows the details of what’s going on, translated…

Yesterday, as I was at the bakery selecting my breads, suddenly, a boy of about ten ran into the shop in a hurry, started hollering to the owner, “Sir, give me some imperfectly baked breads!”, the owner of around sixty years of age squinted his eyes, smiled and replied, “okay!”, then, I saw the child used the clasps, picked up a few breads, the owner bagged the items for him, and only took one small coin from his hand, then, handed him the goods, and told him, to walk carefully, and, the owner smiled, as he saw the young boy off.

Those of us, customers who saw this scene, we’d, all looked at each other, and smiled, while the owner of the shop told, with a heavy note, that the boy’s name is, “Lucky”, he was, a prematurely born child, back then, his mother gave birth to him out of wedlock, and couldn’t tell who the father was, in the end, she had to, leave the family, abandoning her own son, and for many years, nobody’s, heard from her, for several years, the boy was, left to raised by his grandmother who’d, lost her husband.  She’d hoped that he would be, blessed, thus, she’d, named him, “Lucky”, but because she’s elderly, without abilities to work, she could, only make the amount from recycling the materials, they lived on, very, poor.  “Thankfully, although Lucky may be, developmentally delayed, but his physical growth was, normal, he’d, helped his grandmother out without being asked regularly.”

a batch like this???sold, at a, discounted price here!  Photo found online

The owner told, that since he learned of Lucky’s story, when he’d come to buy the breads, he’d, symbolically, accepted a coin from him, as payment.  But, one time, his grandmother took him in, pointed to the bread, then inquired to the owner, that did Lucky steal the breads?  If not, how come, all the money she’d, given to him were, still there?  The owner replied, “Lucky is a good kid, he did NOT steal anything, he’d bought the ‘breads not baked perfectly’, so that’s why, I gave it to him, at, a discounted price!”, as the grandmother heard, she’d, felt relieved, and continually, thanked the owner for his, kind heart.

As I’d heard the owner of the bakery told the story, a surge of warmth rushed up.  Think about it, Lucky is, exactly like his grandmother hoped he’d become, a kid blessed, otherwise, how would he have, met up with the kindhearted, bakery owner?

And so, this, is one of these tiny tales that warms up the heart of those who heard, read, and knew it, and, the owner of the bakery saw that this young man was in need, and, started giving him the help, because he knew, that he and his grandmother, are living on so little, and this story warmed up the hearts of others, it gives us hope, to see, that there are, still, smallest amounts of kindness, happening, all around us.

The Sense of Humor that the Bus Driver Has

Through an act of kindness toward a stranger, hoping, that someone else will follow your lead, and show the same kindness needed, to the man too, translated…

I took my six-year-old son out and waved at the bus driver as we were, catching the bus.  Unless nobody’s getting on or off, the driver would, stop at every bus stop.

To a certain stop, we saw the driver run really fast off the bus, then, slowly, helped a visually impaired person on board, right then and there, I saw the man with a sign with the bus route written on it, readied, to put it inside his knapsack, and that was when I’d learned, that as the visually impaired man heard the bus wheeze by his side, he’d, taken out the sign, so the drivers can see it.

like this???kindness, sighted!  Photo found online

The driver confirmed with him what station he was getting off, returned back to the driver’s seat, I saw the man with his cane, prodding around, headed slowly, toward a certain object on the bus, I’d, reminded him quickly, “sir, there’s a seat next to you!”, he’d, patted the structures of the seats, asked, “right here?  Thanks!”, my husband next to me spoke in synchrony, “Yes, be careful sitting down!”, I watched him smiled, and nodded toward our direction, then, he’d, picked up his cell phone, put on his earphones, and immersed himself in the music happily.

As I was about to get out, the man was, still enjoying his music, I’d, held my son’s hands, as we got off the bus, because I believed, that this, was going to be, a beautiful relay, that as others saw how helpful I’d been to this man, that he was in need of assistance, I’m more than certain, that others onboard the bus will also, lend him, a helping hand.

And so, kindness still, started with one, and this woman hoped, that with her show of kindness toward the visually impaired passenger onboard the bus, someone else will also, follow her example, in lending the man, a helping hand, and this, is exactly, how kindness gets passed down from one person to the next, it all starts, with one!

Disregarding the Costs, the Mobile Supermarkets Entered into the Distant Regions, “We Can’t Care about the Costs”

A social welfare program, that didn’t, CARE about the cost, but only, helping the locals, we need more of these in the world right now that’s for sure! From the Newspapers, translated…

The mountain regions in Yilan is off-the-maps, the locals can’t shop easily, the Helping with Love Supermarket’s C.E.O., Chu made a wish of “delivering the groceries to the distant regions”, push for the mobile supermarket programs, used two million dollars to alter the 3.5-ton truck into a mobile marketplace, yesterday, the truck was official, it’d, delivered the meats, the vegetables, the fruits, the instant noodles, the soy sauces, the daily needs, along with, over a thousand groceries, up to the mountains, to sell.

photo from UDN.comthe grovery store on wheels…

The mobile supermarket at the start of the year, started the trials of using a 1.5 ton truck, it’d gone to the regions of Nanshan, in Datong, the Four Seasons, the Ylang, the Song-Luo, Le-Shui, Ying-Shih, along with Nan-Ao, the native tribal areas first, and, also, to the communities far off in the northern Yilan, Gueishan, Daxi, and other local communities, so these distant towns can also, get their needed groceries.

“We don’t care about the costs!” the mobile supermarket is out on the road a lot, of it, it takes two hours per way, to the 1,200 meter high Datong’s Nanshan Tribes, a total of four hours, over a hundred meters, Chu said, the items in the mobile supermarket is exactly the same as what we sell in the cities, in prices too.

The mobile supermarkets’ “shelves” don’t have the randomized groceries, it’d been, surveyed by the statistics, to see which items are mostly needed by the locals, and, everything the locals need, they can, preorder it from online, the meats, the vegetables, and, then, after the orders were, placed, the mobile supermarket drives up the mountains, there’s no extra, delivery charges.

Chu said, other than deliveries made to the distant regions, if there are larger scale functions, or nursing homes that needed, the mobile supermarkets will deliver, “when we are, service-oriented, we stopped considering the costs!”, Chu said, that the mobile supermarkets bring in a set income, and, considering the costs of gas, of the wear and tear of the vehicles, the drivers, and the costs for hiring the cashiers, they’d have a negative earning, but, because of the needs of the distant regions, it needs, to be done.

And so, this, is something wonderful this man started, he saw a need, and, provided the services, and, we need more of these, understanding minds, more of these, helping states of minds, to make this world a better place, and this man is, already, doing more than his share, to make a difference, in the lives, of others, not caring about the costs.

 

 

 

 

Keep the Love Flowing

The cycle of kindness, also rolls down continually, from one person, to the next, we need more stories like these, especially at this day and age! Translated…

The rain came pouring down on my exercise walk, I’d rushed into the breakfast shops to hide out, the shop owner’s mother in her seventies ushered me in, and she’d, taken out a yellow raincoat from the closets, for me to put on, her act of kindness had, warmed up my heart.

As the rain slowly dissipat4ed, as I was, about to, return the raincoat, she’d started telling me the funny things that happened to her while she was on a trip to the eastern side of the island. A couple of years ago, she’d gone to Hualien to travel during the New Year’s holidays with her family, and, the trip was a spur of the moment thing, and, she’d only worn the short sleeves and shorts, and, the cold fronts made everybody shiver, and so, they can only, run back into the cars to hide, they’d not gone anywhere.

And, a woman who was standing at the side of the road saw, she’d immediately gone home, brought a ton of clothes for them to choose from, waited until the seven, eight adults and children had, selected the thick coats and smiled and said their thank yous, they’d wanted to ask her address, so they can send the clothe back, but, the woman turned them down. She’d told them, that her kids are all grown and lived elsewhere, that the clothes were just, taking up space in her home. And, every time after that, as the family saw the clothes, they’d always, smiled on it, and, remembered the kindness from the woman, who’d given them the coats to wear.

In order to keep the love flowing, the breakfast shop also gathered some donated clothes for the comers to borrow, other than keeping the shop connected with the local communities, it’s, a way of repaying the woman for her kindness. As I’d heard, I thought, maybe I can write this tale down, or maybe, by chance, that kindhearted woman that the family met in Hualien will see, that her kindness had become, a cycle already.

And so, this, is how some random act of kindness had touched so many lives, and, by passing the kindness to the strangers that came to the breakfast shop, the owner is keeping the kindness that was shown to her and her family flowing, and we need more stories like this in the world we live in right now!