Reading a book about parents and children, I couldn’t hold my tears back. It has been a long time since I read a book which could touch my heart. It is like what my friend said that there were not too many things which could be touching after going through all the ups and downs in the life.

Kang and Chia came home last week. It was a big surprise and I was thrilled. However, it was like a whirlwind. It seems that they just walked into the house, but Kang had to leave the next day. I understood how busy he was, but it was hard to say: OK. I don’t mind.

Kang is working in New York , and Chia is serving in the military. It is very difficult for them to see each other, not to mention about coming home together. It becomes a luxury.

Kang and Chia know what I love most is to listen to them play the flute and the key board. As a surprise for me, they took out their music books and played from their hearts before Kang headed for his next destination. Shyi-Dong dropped his work and enjoyed their performance at my side. It was the same scenery, the same music, and the same family; it brought me back to our good old days. What can be sweeter in the life than living over the good old days again? The tears covered my face, and I couldn’t help thinking what a wonderful time I had with my boys when they were young. I couldn’t help thinking how sweet the moment was when we enjoyed their music but soon we had to part.

When the boys were young, I longed for them to grow up. Now they have grown up, I wish they could return to their youth. In my life, I kept longing and longing until my boys become adults and we become old.

Tom Jones’ song, ‘The Green Green Grass of Home’, is playing softly in the house. Our lovely home is still standing on the green green grass, waiting for our boys to come home, day and night.

The boys have grown and have their own world. The mother understands that her world can hardly be the world for her boys, but she is still waiting and waiting for them to come back to her world.

Bih-Hua Chen
May 29, 2009