Translated…
A-Yo Chen was a classmate in my photograph course from community college, the first time I met her, I thought she was too quiet, until she’d started talking about photography, she’d talked about it with such zest, such passion, that, was when I’d realized, that, there was, a young girl, living inside her.
Once, the instructor appointed A-Yo Chen to share her thoughts on photographing a Taiwanese blue magpie, and, out of all our expectations, this “little girl”, looked at the projected photograph and started clapping her hands, so excitedly, hollering out, “I’m so happy, for having taken a shot of the Taiwanese blue magpie!”, working hard in her photography techniques, A-Yo Chen’s photographs are comparable to that of professional photographers now; although waiting for the birds, is a hard business, she’d kept, getting immersed into it more by the day. And that, would be how attractive that pure childlike quality of hers was, taking me along, into the world of photography with her.
from the newspapers…
Photography was once, a dream of A-Yo’s when she was younger, but taking up the lessons when she was younger, was a far to reach dream, she’d not even, thought about it. After she married and had children, she’d need to take care of her loved ones, it wasn’t until she retired, with a little money and time too, did she, opened up her arms, and be herself, to fulfill that dream she had, hidden inside of her mind since long ago. Whether it be posting on Facebook, setting up an online photo album, or putting that finishing touch on the photographs, A-Yo Chen learned it all, and managed to, master it all too; her high standards of herself, can make up for her starting late, “Others are smart, learned after just one try, I’m slower, needed more time to practice the skills.” She is, a model for learning new things as we age.
In our chit-chat, I’d learned, that A-Yo Chen was given to someone else to raise, and, fate was kind, she’d become, the adopted daughter that her adoptive mother loved wholeheartedly. She’d felt the love from her adoptive mom, and as she was growing up, A-Yo Chen made a solemn vow, that she will carry the duties of filial piety, to accompany her adoptive mother until death; for the sake of her adoptive mother, she’d found a fitting man, who wouldn’t mind, marrying into her family, as her adoptive mother was ill before she died, she’d taken care of her by herself too, with no complaints whatsoever. Her sturdy persistence, was NOT from the hardships of her earlier life, but built up slowly, from gratitude.
not my photo…
A-Yo Chen in these past few years had, accumulated a ton of her photography portfolio, I’d asked her if there was one particularly that she was very proud of, she believed, that every photograph marked the tracks of her journey in photography, that each picture is precious to her. On her walls, on her cabinets, on her refrigerator, were photos she’d taken over the years, they’d made her house colorful, she lives, in a place, surrounded by the love of her hobby.
No need to regret the years gone past, we’d often said, that a woman is most beautiful when she’s focused, I like A-Yo Chen like this, and, it’s a, late autumn in her life in her sixties now. Being able to live out a different life for herself, showing off a brand new her self, isn’t that amazing? Click, click, I’d, taken a shot of this, beautiful photographer who pursued her own dreams, and, showing it to the rest of the other ladies, as encouragements here!
not my clip art…
So, this elderly woman had found her true love, late in life, and, she’d become, totally immersed into photography, and it helps occupy her time, as well as giving her the fulfillments of being able to accomplish something too.
Life, the Obstacle Course 