I went back to Ningbo this week to celebrate my mother’s birthday.
In the early years I didn’t have the habit of doing this — it meant making a special trip home, more like buying a present and saying happy birthday to my mother on her birthday. But as mentioned in the previous post, as I get older and realize how short life is, I value spending time with my family more and more.
On Saturday afternoon, my wife and I took my mother to visit Sam’s Supermarket. It was my first time to go there, too. Usually, we order online, so we had the same mentality as my mother when we went shopping. Then I bought a lot of things, and even couldn’t carry them, so I had to buy some online and take some home by myself.
In the evening, after my father came back, my wife and I sang happy birthday to my mother. Unexpectedly, my father clapped his hands when he sang, which was to participate in this blessing. In my mind, my father was always reluctant to express his feelings. This change surprised me.
My mother’s wish, of course, was for her beloved son, just as I loved her — I wanted her to remain healthy and happy.