清明节想起的旧事
BEHIND THE FAMILY PICTURE IS AN OLD BUILDING
I honored my family picture taken more than twenty years ago by enlarging it, reprinting it, framing it and hanging it on the side wall of stairs in my house this early year. Every day, when I go upstairs, I am always able to see it. One day, the thing became even more touching when I checked the background of the picture through the flowers, an older two-floor building came into my sight. It brought my memory back to a long time ago. I could not help writing a story happened in that building.
Having left my hometown for many years, I visited it recently. At my mom's bedroom, I found a framed photograph, including eight members: my mom, my brothers, and sisters as well as my little son. The picture was taken in my hometown, a college campus, more than 20 years ago. And the background of the picture was a garden and several windows. My dad was absent, but it totally embodies my dad's story.
I was standing on the left side in the photo and looked young and energized. I had never seen the portrait after moving overseas, so I had been deeply touched to have a look again it. I told my mom that I remembered that day, including the person who took this photo and the place where the photo was taken. That time, I worked as a faculty and taught at the University. The little boy was my son, four years old, who also was my mom’s first grandson. My husband had worked as a post-doctoral fellow in Belgium in 1994, and then returned home a year later. Then he left again after one month when the picture was taken. That was all easy to remember. But from the enlarged picture, it reminded me the Windows belong to a small building behind the garden.
When I was a little girl, I visited that place with my childhood friends frequently – My dad brought us. My father, an old faculty worked in that University, especially, his office located there, and I never forgot how the evening meetings held in his office. Many teachers sat around a table. I sat on my dad's laptop. It was a nice experience. I sat with all the uncles and the aunts and looked at them discussing causes and writing lectures. I was a little bit shy and quiet girl. Soon, I was falling sleeping, and then knowing nothing. After the meeting, my dad carried me on his back and went home. I could not remember how many times I had been there, but I started to know how the faculty worked.
I worked in that building when I was a lecturer and taught in the same department as my dad, amazing isn’t? After a few decades, for the family reunion, I returned to my hometown and visited that building for taking the picture, but my dad has gone forever. His office also became the newly-renovated center, but that picture had lasted for years. The young generation will know nothing about the background of the picture and their grandfather.
Of course, I credited my dad for inspiring all of my hard work. I told my mom that the building early visited with dad left a deep and lasting impression upon me. My dad would be so proud of my accomplishments in the haven. Thank you, my father, for being an educational dad. You had done really well with me. I am so grateful for your kindness of loving me and taking care of me. I am writing this article in this coming April 5th, and hope I can show you the love and care that you have shown me. You are an excellent teacher and I am thankful to have you in my life. I love you more than you know.
