I still remember
the day the flood ran over our house.
I was four and my sister was six.
The fragile dam could not stop the furious wave of water so that within
a few seconds the small wooden house was buried in the flood. Holding my hand, with my sister sitting
on his back, my father rushed us to a safe place. Confused and puzzled, I gazed at my
father and I asked myself: "I am younger than my sister, but why does my
father carry my sister on his back instead of me." This question became
so significant in my life as I grew older.
One day,
twenty-five years later, my father and I walked among a crowd of people in Taipei. All we could see were the never-stopping
vehicles. My father gripped my hand
and crossed the road quickly. Although I had married and become a mother, his concern for me was
the same as before. At
that moment, all
the doubt I had before was swept away. I regretted that
I had always forgotten the problem that my sister had -- she had the disease of
Polio. All
I thought about was that being two years younger than my sister,
I should have gotten more attention and better protection. So the jealousy and the unbalance of my
mind concealed to me the fact that my sister had a serious flaw in her health,
needy of extra attention.
Recollecting the
experience of my faith, I always expected much concern and understanding from
other people for my so called weakness, not realizing that they might be weaker
than I in faith. I feel so ashamed for
my regret that comes so late.
"Love"
is everywhere. You cannot have it
unless you reach out for it.
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