My husband brought in a sheet of newspaper and muttered: Someone I know recently went to a funeral, and there are at least 400 people participated.
It surprised him that this person is not particularly famous, but there are so many people there for his funeral. and none of them are his relatives.
They are there because of him!
So, my husband show me the paper and said: Because of the amount of people in the funeral, the article is in Vancouver Sun’s headline.
As he showed me the paper, I am shocked for a moment…
昨天老公拿了一張報紙走進客廳裏,
喃喃自語地說,他認識的一個人最近去參加一個喪禮,
很訝異在現場看到去參加喪禮的人.
少說也有四百多個人在場…
那個人很訝異地跟老公說,那個往生的人不是個很有名的人,
可是,竟然有那麼多人來參加他的喪禮,
而且,每一個都不認識他的兄弟姐妹,父母,
竟然全都是為了他來的?!
所以老公拿著報紙,他說:來參加這個人的喪禮人數之多,竟然也可以上Vancouver Sun的頭版?!
他拿了報紙給我看,在看的當下,當場楞了一會.
I said: Isn’t he the one we saw all the time in the park?
It seems to recalled my husband’s memory: that’s right. no wonder he looks familiar. I am not used to him dressing so nice.
All the sudden, I felt a bit of sadness crossing my chest: Is he death? When? why?
Somehow, I seems to have hard time connect this person in the newspaper to the person I saw in the park ..
Our children seems to overheard our conversation, they all rush to see what we are talking about.
As soon as they see the picture, they all wondered: Why is Howie in the newspaper?
Even the kids know his name?!
I paused, and decided to answer them in my own way: because he has complete his purpose of life…
My son asked: Does that mean we won’t see him any more?
I: Maybe not in the identity of “Howie”.
Son: so, what would he be?
Unconsciously, both my daughter and I replied：Angel.
then I start to realize that…
Maybe, he is an Angel in our heart!
我說:這不是我們常常在公園裏看到的那個人嗎?
老公這也才想起他的臉孔說:對喔. 難怪一直覺得他眼熟,不習慣他衣著這麼整齊的時候.
我不自覺地,竟然也感到一股莫名的悲傷:他死了喔?什麼時候?為什麼?
一個平常看到他都帶著笑容的人,而今竟然在報紙上看到他的死訊,總覺得心頭上怎麼都連不上線似的…
小朋友聽到我們的討論,急忙地跑過來看我們在說誰.
在看到報紙的時候,也不自覺地問:為什麼Howie的照片會在報紙上?
原來,連小孩都知道他叫什麼名字…
我楞了會,決定以自己的方式說:因為,他做完他該做的功課了…
小兒子說:那麼說,我們以後再也看不到他了嗎?
我:可能不會以Howie的身份看到他喔.
兒子:那他會變成什麼?
不自覺地,我跟女兒都異口同聲的說:天使吧.
這才發現,原來他在大家的心目中,真的像個天使…
When I first met Howie, I thought he acts kind of different.
He is not tall, maybe 150 cm. He is quite a skinny guy, and often wonder around the park.
At the beginning, my mother instinct get me used to pulled my kids away from him.
But as I got to know him, I realize that almost everyone in the park know who he is.
Obviously, he has Never done any harm to any body.
So, I start to get to know him.
Also, whenever I saw a ice cream truck drive by, I would invite him to join us for a ice cream.
He usually said yes without hesitation.
第一次看到他的時候,覺得他的行為有點奇怪,
他身高不高,大概才150左右. 身材很瘦小, 常常一個人在公園裏走來走去的.
一開始的時候,母親的直覺讓我習慣性地將小孩拉離他遠一點,
但久了以後,我發現幾乎公園裏的每一個人都認識他.
很顯然地,沒有人認為他會對誰做出任何的傷害.
所以之後,每每我在公園的時候,要是有冰淇淋車來的時候,我會習慣性地順便問他要不要吃冰.
他通常也都會不客氣地說好, 跟著我跟小孩去買冰淇淋吃.
As I got to know him a little bit more,
I understand he is same age as me.
Because he is a premature baby, and some heart and brain developing problems,
he was not able to develop like everyone else, and still behave like a teenage boy.
He was often volunteered in the communities center.
If there’s any event, he often walk around the park and greet to everyone he know.
之後,慢慢地從別人的口中了解他,
知道他其實是跟我同年齡的人,
但因為是個早產兒,又有先天上的心臟病,腦部的發育又有問題,所以在行為舉止上,仍然像個未發育的青少年一樣.
我們附近的Community Center因為看他很熱愛棒球,又很熱心,
所以讓他在社區裏當志工.
有活動的時候,總會在場內看到他東忙西走的,跟每一個人打招呼.
I often wonder…
how did he remember EVERYONE’s name? ( not to mentioned he know almost everyone!)
he has never mix up my kid’s name.
I often wonder how he did that?!
He always smiled, (just like the one in the newspaper.)
no matter how some people made fun of him, he always carried his smile.
I hardly ever saw him getting upset with anyone.
Even though there are some occasion that kids are pulling his shirt, making fun of him,
He always end up straighten up his shirt and said: it’s okay.
我常常很好奇,雖說他是個腦部發育有問題的人,
但是,他從來沒有叫錯我兩個孩子的名字,
更別說,他逢人就叫得出名字的超強記憶力,
老讓我質疑他是怎麼做到的?!
他的臉上總是掛著笑容,(就像報紙上那張一樣.)
即使有些不懂事的小孩,追著他跑,又拉又扯他的衣服的時候,
也從來沒有看他生氣過.
他總是拍拍衣服後一聲:沒關係.
反叫那些欺侮他的人莫名地感到慚愧.
The newspaper indicated that he death has attract 400+ people without any announcement.
They suspect it may required GM place if any announcement was made.
Honestly, I didn’t think it’s exaggerated at all.
He may not be a fully developed guy,
but he has created some kind of memories in all of our heart.
報紙上說,他的死訊沒有傳出去,喪禮就來了四百多個人.
要是有登死訊的話,可能得借用整個足球場才夠用.
老實說,這樣的話真的一點都不誇張.
他或許是一個在別人眼裏智能不足的人,
但是,他在每個人的心裏,真的都不自覺地留下一個腳印.
When I mentioned this news to my friends,
almost everyone knows him.
Everyone felt sad for the lost.
He died in the “Valentine’s Day”
What a perfect day for this?!
He is like a valentine in every single one of our heart.
We are so used to him being around,
and we will always think of him in Valentine’s day.
His parent would probably never imagine that…
This kid would end up influence so many people’s heart?!
I start to wonder…
Maybe this is his purpose of life…
at the moment, I seems to see he smile again in the newspaper.
He, must be happy that he has completed his purpose of life.
今天跟朋友說的時候,
幾乎沒有一個人不認識他,
沒有一個人不為他的死訊而感到悲傷.
他是在情人節那天,中風死掉的.
多麼完美的一個日子?!
他像是每個人心中的情人,
每個人都這麼習慣他在身邊的日子,
每個人都會記得在情人節的時候想到他.
他的父母在迎接他來到這個世界的時候大概沒有想過,
這個全身帶著殘疾的人,他們幾乎完全放棄的小孩,
竟然在走的時候,可以影響這麼多人的心?!
我想…
這就是他當初選擇來投胎的使命吧?
看著報紙版面的我…
彷彿也看到他的微笑.
他,應該很高興自己終於完成這麼長久以來的使命吧?
Angels, may not always carried a pair of wings.
Sometimes, they live around us just like you and me…
天使,不一定要有翅膀,
有時候,他們就活在我們的身邊…
Leave A Comment