The Humor and Laugher in Life

Reader's Digest is my main resource of jokes before I attend the Toastmasters meetings. When time allows, I will leaf the current issue of Reader's Digest and collect a couple of jokes in my pocket just in case no member volunteers in the joke session. Reader's Digest is also my resource of topics for my prepared speeches. I enjoy reading the touching stories in the monthly and get connected with the people around the world.

Talking about Reader's Digest, everyone in Taiwan knows Lin Tai-Yi, the general editor of Chinese Reader's Digest from 1965 until her retirement in 1988. Lin Tai-Yi wears Chi-pao in her everyday life. She is the second daughter of Lin Yutang (October 10, 1895 – March 26, 1976), the Master of Humor in China.

Tuesday noon, Virginia, Lydia, Grace and I had lunch at the old residence of Lin Yutang after an early morning stroll in Yangmingshan National Park. The Lins' old residence is now a museum where the original household life of Lin Yutang displays. The living room is converted into a cafe' with a panoramic view of the big Taipei city. A huge photo of young and handsome Lin Yutang in Chinese costume covers half of the wall along with his famous writing, 『兩腳踏東西文化，一心評宇宙文章，熱愛故國不泥古，樂享生活不流俗』.

Lin Yutang won his fame as the Master of Humor in China. He devoted his entire life in attempting to bridge the cultural gap between the East and the West. He wrote many books, novels and dictionaries. I like his "Moment in Peking"(1939) the most, and I keep a hardcopy of it on the shelf. I guess maybe because my father was born in Peking, I enjoy reading books about lives in the capital of China.

In order to create an atmosphere of China in early 20th century, I changed from a white Vietnamese dress to a blue Chinese Chi-pao before lunch. After lunch, the only two tables at the cafe' began a flow of energy. We started a conversation with one another, and we had many photos taken together with Lin-Yutang at the back smiling at the naughty and fun loving strangers on Tuesday noon. I can't ask for more after a splendid day of humor and laugher with my fair golden ladies toastmasters.