Wok & Roll by Peter Kwong, (Frederic) Inter-County Leader
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I just received an article from an old friend from Hong Kong. I can’t believe how much time has passed since we were in school together when we were 12 years old.
We were very close buddies then, and after almost 60 years, we are still very close buddies; amazing indeed. It is nice to be able to talk to someone without worrying about what we think of each other’s social status or other concerns. Who cares? Friendship is not built on one’s possessions, but the allotment of the hearts.
I’ve visited many nursing homes the past few years. My wife and I used to go to different nursing homes in the Milwaukee area and serenade those wonderful folks who would appreciate us every time we showed up. And we’ve just put our dad in a nursing home not too long ago.
Seeing all these lovely folks having a good time and enjoying their final years just melts my heart. They have worked so hard all their lives, contributing all they’ve got to their families, their careers, and the communities. Now is time for them to take a step back and say, “Sonny boy, I’ve given all I got, now you take over and let me enjoy what’s left of my journey.”
My Indianhead Chorus went around different nursing homes in the area and serenaded the folks who appreciate us to no end. They didn’t care if we sang off-key, as most of them did not have their hearing aids on. However, our director with his sensitive ears would raise his eyebrows toward the off-key direction. But it all ended up with a smile as we were all doing one thing — making someone happy.
This article my buddy sent is written by a professor from a Chinese university. He retired from his profession years ago, and now resides in a nursing home. He wrote this poem, “One’s Treasure in Life,” which I found very heartwarming; and I’ll do my best to translate his message:
“It is ridiculous to waste your life seeking fame and fortune
Worrying every day of how to stay alive and to get ahead
Just to realize that at the very end, life is just like a bed
I’m living in a nursing home, in a very nice and clean apartment
Equipped with all kinds of convenient gadgets
The meals are adequate, the service cordial
The environment is quite pleasant, but I paid a hefty price
I am not rich
And my pension can barely afford the costs
What I thought was the inheritance for my children
Now is the pavement for my last journey
Leaving all the priceless possessions
Just to survive in this tiny apartment
What to do with closets and boxes full of memories
Priceless to me, those unforgettable moments
Now I can’t even give them away in a garage sale
My stamp collections which took years to accumulate
All my books with multiple languages
How about my wine collections?
What are they worth now, and appreciated by whom?
All my herbs and spices, my knives and utensils
What to do? What to do?
I have a bed, a closet and a sofa, a TV and a small refrigerator
That’s all my possessions
Everything I needed, or ever will need
Everything I own, in this tiny place
All the richness in this world, rest in this little room
All of a sudden, I realize
All the fame and fortune in this world
Are not important, as I have no need for them
They don’t belong to me, but to the world
I was lucky to have a chance to look at it
To feel it, to touch it, and possess it for a moment
But it really belongs to the world
We are all travelers
Passing through this wonderful journey of life together
Why not live in peace and harmony
Cherish and love one another
Give what you’ve got to help others
As what you have you don’t really own
You didn’t bring it when you came
And you can’t take it with you when you depart someday
After all, the bed is the only thing you’ll ever need
The only treasure in life that will bring you peace
Happiness is not to own the world
Happiness is to share the world
By giving whatever you can to help others.”
After visiting all these nursing homes, I totally agree with the writer. Owning everything in the world means nothing, as at the end, all we need is a bed; all the priceless possessions mean nothing.
I totally agree, but maybe I can add my wife and a warm blanket in my bed?
