A Mother’s Love

母親的愛

我生有你是我的福喜
(ngo sang jau nei si ngo dik fuk hei)
It is a blessing having you in my life.

日日夜夜想念你...母親的愛
(jat jat je je soeng nim nei...mou can dik oi)
Day and night I’m thinking of your love

愛如大海, 愛如高山, 愛如天空
(oi jyu daai hoi, oi jyu gou saan, oi jyu tin hung)
愛是永遠, 愛是不變, 愛在我心中。
(oi si wing jyun, oi si bat bin, oi zoi ngo sam zung)
Like an ocean ever-flowing of love, unchanging mountain up on high, wide embracing open sky.


我心有你是永遠不變
(ngo sam yau nei si wing jyun bat bin)
Having you in my heart is forever and unchanged.

年年月月記得你...母親的教
(nin nin jyut jyut gei tak nei...mou can dik gaau)
Year after year month after month I’m remembering of your teaching

教在我好, 教我做人, 教我學文
(gaau zoi ngo hou, gaau ngo zou jan, gaau ngo hok man)
做人做更得好, 學文學完努力
(zou zan zou gang tak hou, hok man hok jyun nou lik)
As you meant to teach me well
First learn to behave ethically in everyday life, second to study hard to have a good education.

未來長大 後想回到 感謝我母親的愛。
(mei loi zoeng daai hau soeng wui dou kam ze ngo mou can dik oi)
Growing up, I’m able to look back and appreciate your care and love for me.


Writer's Notes
This fourth, yet first full piece of phonetic writing in Cantonese Chinese that was written with a thought of a middle school classmate in mind as she who had just recently lost her mother.

The first stanza was conceived and written on July 2 while the second stanza was written and completed over the following three days.

Credits and/or Citations:
The above written verses incorporate the utilization of the online MDBG Chinese-English dictionary for Jyutping Cantonese romanization of Chinese characters.

Sweet Memories

Nhớ Ngoại Ngày Hè

Hồi tôi còn nhỏ, thích nhất là được lẻo đẽo theo Ngoại ra chợ ‘chơi’, thường là vào mỗi thứ Năm, Chúa Nhật nghỉ học của tuần hoặc/và vào mỗi buổi sáng nghỉ học ngày hè.

Ngoại tôi mộc mạc trong chiếc áo bà ba sậm mặc bên ngoài cái áo túi vải màu trăng trắng ngà ngà mà Ngoại thường mặc ở nhà. Vẫn cái quần đen, vẫn đầu tóc búi. Một tay cầm cái giỏ mủ đỏ, tay kia Ngoại nắm lấy tay tôi. Hai bà cháu dắt nhau ra chợ.

Nhà tôi ở đường Nguyễn Công Trứ, đối diện trường Đại Học Ngân Hàng lúc bấy giờ. Chỉ cần bước vài bước qua đường, đi dọc hết dãy nhà dẫn ra đầu đường Hàm Nghi và băng qua con lộ lớn là đến được Chợ Cũ.

Với khoảng tiền chợ chi tiêu khiêm tốn, không có dư để mua quà vặt. Nhưng lúc nào Ngoại cũng gói gém để có chút ít cái gì đó cho cả nhà. Không sương sâm, sương sáo, sương sa thì cũng nửa lon đậu nấu và thường là khoai lang đỏ, khoai trắng, khoai tím hay khoai mì.

Hai ba củ khoai có phần nào hơi èo uột cùng một vài chổ sùng hoặc/và sượng, nhưng nó chứa đựng đầy tình yêu thương chăm chút ngọt ngào của Ngoại dành cho con cháu ở trong nhà.

Chính vì vậy mà mỗi khi nhắc đến khoai thì cái hình ảnh thân thương và trìu mến của Ngoại hiện ra trong tâm trí tôi. Cái món ăn bình dị đó đem lại cho tôi nhiều kỷ niệm đẹp.

Sweet Purple Potato - The Sweetness of Ngoại's Love
Photo by Mei

Nước mắt lưng tròng tôi tưởng nhớ
Bùi ngùi nhớ lại kỷ niệm xưa

Khoai tím chia hai cùng thưởng thức
Cơm nguội cá khô một chiều mưa

Cảnh nghèo tôi luyện qua năm tháng
Hạnh phúc những gì Chúa đã ban.

Writer's Notes
Written in reminiscence of Ngoại (grandma) on this summer day.

And here is the English version to the above set of Vietnamese verses, which can be sung to the opening tune of 仍然記得個一次 jing jin gei dak go jat ci (I Still Remember) composed by George Lam Chi Cheung 林子祥

When the summer rain is falling, I remember
The sweet memories. . . of you and me

Hand in hand we walk, side by side
Through the hardships in life - those are my greatest joys

Thanks be unto God for all of the blessings
And for the presence of you, Ngoại, in our life.

Beginning Anew

Words by: Mei
Sing to the tune of “Morning Hymn”

Spring rain is falling
Sprung up a new life
Awaking my soul
Beginning anew.

Confessing of sins
In reconciling
Profession of faith
In seeking God’s grace.

Come home to give thanks
Thanks unto the Lord
The Lord, O our God
(He welcomes me home)
Welcoming me home.

Lenten Season 2012

Writer’s Notes:
Written on the first day of Spring in reflection of my first confession back on the beginning of the month.

I am Walking

Words by: Mei
Sing to the tune of “Happiness Is Here And Now”

Oh, the sun is shining on my shoulders
And the wind blows past by my ears
I am walking, I’m hearing...
The leaves rustling in the wind.
(The birds chirping on the trees.)

The Morning Sun Photo by Mei (edited with CinemaScope by Picnik)

I’m walking, my feet kiss the earth*
I’m seeing a sea of greens
The green grasses are swaying
As if they are waving to me.
(They are saying "Hello!" to me.)

Oh, what joy that I am walking
There's nothing to worry about!
I feel happy and I'm smiling...
At the beautiful scenery.
(At the sight and sound of nature.)

* In reference to Thich Nhat Hanh's teaching "walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet" that I recalled from listening in to the retreat orientation Dharma talk given at Blue Cliff Monastery on October 5, 2011.

Writer’s Notes:
Chance Encountered the "Basket of Plums" - Back Stories
While I was browsing for Thich Nhat Hanh books on Parallax Press, I stumbled upon the songbook with two CD sets titled Basket of Plums: Songs in the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Having listened to the Vietnamese songs and chants from Drops of Emptiness CD, I took a great interest in the 2 CD recordings of music and words for the practice of mindfulness in English.

Upon receiving the Basket of Plums CDs, I was immediately feeling enchanted by the angelic take on the first track, Happiness Is Here And Now, musically, vocally and mindfully.

In Your Grace

Words by: Mei

God, I Love You!

From the start of my life,
You have always been there.

Walk me through life,
You have always be by my side.

Taken me by my hand,
You and I, we walk each step of the way.

Through those darkest times
When I’m weak and weary,
You shine the light
Show me the path of life.

Life is so beautiful.
Take a look, there’s love surrounded us.

No need to find
The happiness in life.
Since, it’s already here.
Don’t you see, the love surrounds us.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

The New American Bible

Take the yoke you have tailored,
I’m learning to live freely and lightly.

Throughout the journey,
The road is open wide.
My burden is light.
And I’m worrying free.

Life is so beautiful.
Take one look, there’s love around me.

I now can find
The happiness in life.
Since, it’s already here.
I’m seeing the love around me.

Thanks for all the blessings
And the love you have given to me.

I love you, God!

Today and everyday,
I’m walking in your grace.

Writer’s Notes:
As I was humming to the melody of an Anita Mui Yim-fong (梅艷芳)’s song, the first few opening lines came to mind. It was the beginning of the start of In Your Grace writing process dating back in May 2011.

In between time working on revising Life Is Beautiful, I was inspired by Father Rothan’s homily on Matthew 11:28-30 passage, which gave rise to the completion of the second verse.

Given the title of "In Your Grace", the above set of verses is my personal homage to God in thanksgiving.

Autumn Comes Autumn Goes

Words by: Mei
The melody is... yet to decide on o_O

Autumn comes Autumn goes
Autumn is reminding me of you...

Autumn breezes passed by
Falling leaves float'n the air ~

The colors of Fall when leaves turned
As beautiful as you, yeah... yeah... you!

The Colors of Fall Photo by Mei

The smile on your face
The love from your heart
As warm as they can be, to keep the winter days at bay.

Summer is gone
Winter is not yet here
Autumn is now
So, let's smile!

Autumn comes Autumn goes
Autumn is staying here with me to think of you...

Remember You Always

Words by: Mei
The melody to accompany the words is an excerpt taken from "Endless Love" [不了情] Bu Liao Qing, a classic Mandarin Chinese song.

Remember you always. . .
From the first time we met, and then we parted.
Though we’re living apart,
My (our) thoughts of you are with the clouds.

There is no sad feeling
Because it’s fate is destined that way.
I (we) truly do believe
One day we’ll see each other again.

Remember you always. . .
The words you taught, lessons we learned.
And now that you are gone
Our thoughts of you are with the clouds.

There is no sad feeling
Because we’ll walk with you today.
We truly do believe
That you would walk along with us.

[Remember us always...]

Writer’s Notes:
Back Stories
Before "Bright Light", there was "Remember You Always".

At the time, I was playing with the words of what to become "Remember You Always". However, I encountered difficulty in bringing those set of verses to completion, sort of writer’s block. Only then, I started to work on the now called, "Bright Light".

After bringing "Bright Light" to completion, I went back to finish up on "Remember You Always".

Bright Light

Words by: Mei
The melody to accompany the words is an excerpt taken from "The Dark Tales" [聊齋新誌] musical, original music by Marco Wan.

Looking upon the nightly sky,
I see the stars are shinning bright
Smiling brightly, smiling back at you and me
And the silvery moon!

Brimming from afar
Under the darkness of night
Moonlight shinning, showing us the way
To walk with love and compassion. (2x)

And when the night has ended
The sun comes up to say: ‘Hi!’
# Happy sunrise, shimmeringly bright
A new day has just begun.

Repeat # (1x)

Writer’s Notes:
Back Stories
After finishing with the set up for the Vietnamese “Tet” New Year’s postings, I checked the calendar and noticed that this year’s Easter comes early because soon after the Tet festival and Valentine’s Day celebration, Ash Wednesday (Thứ Tư Lễ Tro) is fast approaching. February 17 is the official day to mark the beginning of the Lenten season (Mùa Chay) according to the Catholic Church. Thus, I thought of putting up a post for the occasion; however, I didn’t know what I will write about at the time.

At or around the same time, one of my Hai Trieu Am family friends talked her way into asking me to record songs in different languages. Note that I listen to music recording in different languages - not to sing them. But, my friend kept on assisting otherwise and even telling another friend (in rumoring) that I can sing. In trying to “avoid” the whole issue altogether, I fearfully made the promise without knowing what to do next.