With the visit of the Pinan landlord and a little bird, cherish and seize today

Huanxin Celestial

A few days ago, our landlord, Pinan, came to visit us at the Thailand Branch while he was attending a sermon at the neighboring temple. On his way here, his car had some trouble—a wheel got stuck halfway—and Huiyi quickly drove out to help him. Afterward, Pinan spent some time walking around our community, chatting with us. The next day, he left in a hurry, saying he needed to take care of his car repairs. As always, he was humble and kind, bringing with him a generous gift of fresh ginger from his home. This ginger is the same variety that’s commonly eaten in China. I divided it into four portions—one for our neighbors, one for our landlord Pitoy, kept some for ourselves, and planted the sprouting ginger in our garden. Thailand is well-suited for growing ginger. He also brought us a small bag of special wood, rich in natural oils and perfect for starting fires. It’s a timely gift for the rainy season, and we’re grateful for his thoughtfulness. In return, we gave him some of our homemade dish soap, along with some of our abundant chili peppers and green onions.

Recently, we’ve welcomed a new little friend into our home. Huiyi found a tiny bird on the ground while working. Its feathers hadn’t fully developed, and sadly, one of the two birds didn’t survive long. After watching for a while and not seeing the mother bird, Huiyi decided to take care of the remaining chick. It’s been about three or four days now, and the little bird chirps happily every day, with a growing appetite. I think it eats at least ten times a day—its digestion is incredibly fast! Huiyi feeds it a variety of foods—dough, insects, rice, mulberries, papaya, and small pieces of meat. He also changes its “diapers” throughout the day and brings it into his room at night to keep it safe, caring for it like a little baby. Initially, the bird stayed quietly in its nest, but now that it’s familiar with us, it has started to explore the kitchen, often hopping onto people’s shoulders for attention. It used to eat whatever it was given, but now it’s become a bit picky. If it doesn’t like something, it’ll turn its head away or even spit it back out—such a little character!

Today’s wind and rain, today’s rainbow, today’s romance, today’s sparks, and today’s moments with you, me, and everything around us—all these form the beautiful mosaic of life. These little pieces, small and scattered, flow into the vast ocean of existence, recorded in the memories we carry. A single day can tell the story of a year, or even a lifetime. Those who can appreciate and cherish each day will undoubtedly lead a full and ideal life. May our days be as beautiful as the sunset, and may we never take for granted the rising of each new sun and the blessings we have around us.

2022-5-12