Thursday, October 14, 2010

友情包包 /A Bag-full of Friendship

     不知何時開始我們四個姊妹淘有了不成文,心照不宣的集會規定,那就是每一年我們會至少餐敘五次。每人生日時加上聖誕節,我們也會交換禮物,沒規定可大家都會自動自發時候到了,必定會有人連接友情的熱線聯絡餐敘的細節。


     這兩年我搬家又從拾課本當了大學生,每每成了姊妹淘餐敘的缺席生,心中也是白感交陳。這學期拿了四堂課,每星期一只有一堂成年期發展心理學,所以,我會特意穿著打扮,搭配束之高閣的手提包,讓自己有個好心情。上星期一我提著紫白鉤花的,這星期我拎著綠色毛絨邊的小提袋,星期天我帶了淺藍的..........我就想念起我的姊妹淘們!


小小手提包裝了什麼呢?美鈔嗎?還是金子呢?


手袋裡沈甸甸的是比美鈔還值錢,比黃金還貴重的友情,在我憂傷的日子她們用友誼給我護膚彩妝,好使我展現歡容,她們以友情支持我,知道我好的壞的,有的沒有的,仍然一如美麗的包包,容納了我。


雖然見面與聯絡的時間比以前少了,但我想告訴妳們,妳們才下我眉頭又上我心頭!
妳們啊!是我美麗的負擔

包裹帶來的暖意

      收到婆婆寄來的包裹,凱恩問我可不可以拆,我說開呀!當然可以呀!為何問我呢?凱恩說是註明給我們兩人的,所以得獲准於我,他才可以拆開。我這老婆大人頓時感覺走路有風了!待凱恩拆開包裹,拿出註明給我們倆的卡片,打開信封,卡面是一個穿著紅白格子衣加白色圍裙的鄉村風天使,左右伸長著手臂, 卡上頭細黑字體寫著“Thank you this much!"句尾還有一顆紅心。


      婆婆說謝謝我們前一陣子對她與凱恩的兩個阿姨來我們家小住一個週末的款待。當時我們想她們三姊妹原在大洛山磯出生長大,可是,成人後各自分飛到別州去尋找幸福的人生。雖是回來參加她們情同姊妹的表妹的喪禮,可是難得三人同時回來家鄉吧!於是我與凱恩商量安排了她們回出生地Rosemead及兒時成長的Pasadena老家回顧遊。順便去了Arcadia一中餐館飲茶,給她們開了眼界原來Chinese food除了炒飯,餃子及蛋芙蓉,還有Dim Sum這玩意兒!好玩的是她們頻頻稱讚這Chinese brunch好吃又好讚!私下凱恩自認是識途老馬,悄悄對我不斷笑說她們將Dim Sum說成Chinese brunch。因為婆婆及阿姨們如劉姥姥進大觀園,還是頭一遭飲茶吃Dim Sum,又記不起怎麼說這詞呢!回家後也忘了貝!瞧凱恩得意的模樣實在可愛!


凱曦阿姨步向月臺

     那個週末還帶了她們到家附近的海邊散步,欣賞了玻璃教堂,燈塔,洛杉磯夜景,墨西哥城及Union Station。我們還去了月臺,我啊!可也是第一遭去洛杉磯的火車站漫步月臺呢!使我想起“車站”那首閔南語歌!皆因凱恩的小阿姨凱曦是搭火車從奧勒岡Porland下來洛杉磯的。去火車站接親人是愉快的,但送別時確實是有不知何日君再來的感傷!我們陸陸續續接到她們三人的信件表達謝意,使原本沈重單調的奔喪之旅成了趣味盎然又多彩的回鄉歷險記。



     大阿姨艾馥蓮還愛上了我們栽種在樓臺上的紅花,當我告知是我不捨將斷枝扔掉於是浸泡在水中,不料沒兩個月就長出根來了,於是凱恩幫我將她移栽至花盆,之後她就丰姿綽約的在我們的樓臺努力綻放。大阿姨驚訝的也躍躍欲試,便請我剪下兩枝給她帶回家。她來信時告知那花兒健康的回到新家。我希望她們也在新家繼續搖曳生姿,好延續我們彼此的快樂回憶。


     凱恩念完婆婆寄來的謝卡,又從包裹裡取出兩條帕什米納的圍巾,一條大紅色,一條銀灰色。我們想是一人一條吧!婆婆很可愛另外附上一張四分之一開的紙,打上Pashmina的由來。PASHMINA是波斯文,翻譯成中文是帕什米納, 是取自喜馬拉雅山上的羊腹部和肩部的绒毛所製造的,質地细腻.柔軟.既有羊绒的輕柔感又有絲绸的順滑感.毛質纖柔耐冷,保暖又透氣,手感柔軟而輕薄。我因為忙著期中考,只請凱恩第二天一定的給婆婆打電話道謝,沒仔細打量圍巾就轉頭埋首書中。


這就是捎來暖意的包裹
     第二天凱恩下班回來告訴我,他與婆婆通了電話,結果婆婆說那兩條圍巾是給我的,凱恩沒份兒!我是寶貝得受寵若驚!這兩天終於考完了!放輕鬆心情重新將包裹及卡片拿出來看,陣陣暖意上心頭。取出圍巾站在落地鏡前,將圍巾在身上左繞繞,右披掛的,當自己是伸展台上的模特兒,好不樂乎!終於纏繞出滿意的樣子,背起書包,上學去!走在校園裡的我披掛了滿滿的愛及一身的溫暖,感謝神給我所有的曾經及處處驚喜的一生。




     
    




Friday, October 8, 2010

A letter to Mama

Hi Mama,

I just want to thank you for the gorgeous scarfs.  I love scarfs!  We thought it's one for each of us, but were surprised that both were for me.  I was puzzled that they look like for ladies not for men. Oh! I'm so thankful. I sure will wear them, feeling warm and beautiful, walking around the campus.

I was busy with my midterm exams and assignment.  Now on top of that, I formed an student organization called Asian-Pacific Studies In America at California State University Dominguez Hills, which we shorten it as ASIA@CSUDH.  There was a little campus politic and power struggle involved between my professor and Student organization center.  I thank God for the opportunity that I finally put it together and most of the members are non-Asians nor Pacific Islanders.  That's the purpose for me to form the organization.  This way we can really make awareness of Asian Pacific Studies Program in campus.  Secondly, most Asians and Pacific Islanders more or less already know their own cultures.  It's the ASIA@CSUDH's intention to open it's members' minds through exploration and appreciation of varies Asian-Pacific cultures. Thirdly, the organization is not only about having fun, but it also provides the members academic help, career preparation and discovering each member's strengths to build up each one's character in a positive way to impact our own lives and others.

It's a bit tough to schedule the meeting that fits every member's busy schedule, but I'm thankful that God sends talented people to me, so I can form the team in less than 2 weeks.  Now all the sudden, I have friends on campus after 3 lonely semesters.

I feel that I'm over another hump of my life.  God is shaping me in a good way, just I don't know where will this leads me to.  From Human Service Introduction class, I realized that there are many ways to provide help to the needed. I started to think outside the box and finding my niche.  The process of organizing the student club is such a good learning process for me.  I realize that we can help people directly or indirectly through many forms.

I'll be working on my paper for site-visit of human services organizations and continue studying for my one last midterm exam this weekend.  I hope you have a relaxed not so busy weekend.
hugs,

AnGiE +<><