The features of women, translated…
Kuo and Huang, who are both a lot younger than I retired from the teaching professions already, I’d originally felt really awful about it, but awhile ago, I’d gotten to know how they’re passing their days, and I’d come to realize, that I’d worried too much.
After Kuo retired, she’d started working for a certain charitable foundation which set up a school in the countryside of Cambodia, she’d gone there for a couple of months out of the year, helping the school teachers to teach the local students. She’d told me, “After I’d gone to Cambodia, I’d realized, how convenient it is, to live in Taiwan, the children were malnourished, and I’d now carried the habits of finishing up everything I’d prepared for my meals, when I think of how many out there are going hungry, I’d felt, that I’m not counting my blessings enough.”
“Then, how did you get used to living there?”, I’d asked, out of curiosity.
“The first two months there, I fell ill, flew back here to get hospitalized, after I got well, I’d flown back over there again, waited until I’d trained the instructors there properly, then, I’m back here again”. Then, Kuo slowly told, “Now, I’d gone to the local elementary schools on Monday as a volunteer cross-guard, on Tuesdays, I’d led a Bible Study group, Wednesdays, I’d gone to the local police subprecinct, to counsel the dropouts by phone, Thursdays, led a group of mothers in a reading club, on Fridays, I’d trained the volunteers.”
I was surprised, “Then, are you not even busier compared to before you retired!”, Kuo said, gloating, “but what I’m doing now, it’s voluntary, and that makes it more meaningful to me”.
Huang is even more amazing, after she’d retired, she’d not only become the CEO of a charitable foundation, she’d also set up a floral and herbal tea import company. She’d managed both her ventures extremely well, after work, she’d joined a dance group, and is performing on stage with her dance team. Huang would also travel around, from when she was in her twenties, she’d started seeing the sights, and made memory books of her travels, with the original creative writings on it, she certainly is, a multitalented modern day woman.
Someone once described Huang, said that she is a legend, didn’t have her child until she was thirty, and, within five years, her husband died in a car crash, leaving her with a ton of sorrows and sentiments of missing him a lot. But, she’d stood up strong, not only did she passed the examinations to become a school principal, put her theories of education into practice, ran the school very well, she’d taught her son to become independent, becoming her best helper.
Kuo and Huang, although both were retired from work, but, they’re not resting at all, still gave to the community, it’s amazing what they’re both doing. Their “second” career ventures are also, very amazing, making me envious.
So, these two ladies, they’re retired, but they’d not stopping work at all, instead, because they’re retired now, they have the energies, and the extra times, to give to what they wanted to give to, the multiple charities, and traveling, to broaden their horizons, and, they’re living, a colorful retirement.
