
PAIN may have been on top of the list of my ’06 key words, physically and mentally. I should admit that first time in my life I felt the real sharp and breathtaking pain, as an angry blade swinging in and out of my body, or an unmerciful hand grasping and squeezing my heart. It was like in Babel (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2006), when the stray bullet hits the American wife’s shoulder, or the wife’s tentative hand finds no response at all, or she has to pee in her husband’s arms, or when the Moroccan boy shouts “I killed the American, I was the only one who shot at you. They did nothing... nothing. Kill me, but save my brother.” or the Mexican nanny sobs “I love the kids, I was there when they were born”, or the Japanese deaf girl confronts the world with her beautiful naked body: I was not the only one.

Thank god, that was all over. GRATITUDE was another key word. Thanks to those who deserve my sincerest thanks, I finally let go of the frustrating days. Q, you were the first to hear my cry, cannot forget your warm hug and the days and nights in BJ, L’s couple, you insisted to escort me to the trans-border bus terminal, L, our talks in your ward, K, the hour-long phone calls, Yan, your tailor-made Reader's Digest…and many others, THANK YOU.
Dance as though no one is watching you
Love as though you have never been hurt before
Sing as though no one can hear you
Live as though heaven is on earth
Those are the words printed on one of my favorite mugs. I tried, and I regret for nothing. The heaven is right ahead, and I feel the solid ground, I am setting out for it, I shall accept anything and expect ANYTHING.
God bless me.