Week 27

Week twenty seven is mostly spent with friends and family in USA, especially with the thanksgiving week. On Monday morning I drove an hour to Riverside to work on official documents, which I could not get done without notarization. After that I went to spend the day with my beloved mentor Herman Tang 鄧灼文. There is no better pastor I've seen, none as passionate and loving as Herman, who has just retired and will teach in ABS for three months from January 2017. Herman cried with me the moment I arrived, no kidding. We spent the rest of my overnight stay talking and sharing. It was the eve of six months without Doris.

The next day was exactly six months of Doris' loss. I left after breakfast but the hosts could not join in for health reasons. At 10 AM I left for San Diego to join Doris' sister Vivien and her husband Henry two days before Thanksgiving to visit the San Francisco nephew in town with his two year old daughter. After that, onto another relative visit. On Tuesday I also sent out a nine picture collage of Doris I learned to make two days ago. It was encouraging to many who received it. And I finally sent out a letter to address my grievances after sitting on it for more than two weeks.

On Wednesday Henry took me to La Jolla Cove to see seagulls, sea lions and other creatures by the beach, of which San Diego beaches were a favorite of Doris. She was also a joy and delight to her nephew and nieces growing up there.

On Thursday Thanksgiving I woke up sobbing because of a dream i had of Doris. She was laughing at what I said, nothing much, but it meant a lot to me. When we ate Thanksgiving lunch I felt emotional again. When we prayed before I left after lunch to Los Angeles, tears welled up again. It was a sweet rather than a sad day for me. Most people don't know what to do when I was emotional. A hug, pat on the back or rub of the shoulders would be good.

On Friday a good friend took me to Big Sur through the inland route of Carmel, then to Big Sur. When I saw the big waves crashing at the rocks, tears rolled down my eyes thinking of our honeymoon car ride seventeen years ago through 1 highway to Carmel. This was my request to a good friend to take me to Carmel again, and he obliged from 25 years of friendship. At dinner I sobbed again at the seafood bar overlooking outside while my friend looked out the window not knowing what to do.

Saturday morning was a ride back to Los Angeles for a dinner appointment. I treasured talking to a younger pastor sharing the ups and downs of ministry in USA and HK. I am now more aware of coworkers looking up to me and learning from me, so I must be there for them.

Sunday's trip back to Riverside, where I served the last ten years before leaving, was hard for me. At the end of worship and tears mingled freely. This was where Doris and I had our best years together in a small loving community. After worship I had lunch with two layman preachers to impart Grammar Bible study to them.

Nov 29 USA