Happy Birthday to Ruth

Ruth gave me a DVD the moment we greeted each other at the souvenir shop of National Museum of History. It's a memorable DVD of an evening of Shakespeare at Red Room Radio Redux on Sept 9, 2012, my debut theater at the 5th Taipei Fringe Festival.

I met Ruth at Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Toastmasters Club meeting Thursday noon two years ago. After meeting, we took a walk at 228 Memorial Park and enjoyed an easy afternoon coffee break. We've never attended the Toastmasters gatherings together since, but we've become friends, because of the law of attraction.

Ruth and I were born in the same year, in 1955. She was born on the fourth of January, I was on the ninth of October. Being baby boomers, we share many common interests, in arts, books, nature, and life. Throughout the years, Ruth listened to my humorous speeches with patience before I was ready to join the contests. When Ruth invited me to join the Red Room Radio Redux in March, I was delighted to experience another field of performing arts in life.

While touring the museum, Ruth and I took self-photos with her new i-pod, a birthday gift from her husband. When I asked a museum interpreter friend (I used to be a volunteer interpreter at the museum) to take a photo of Ruth and me at a Chinese tea gallery on the 3rd floor, she gave gave us two hand-made pins of the national flag of Republic of China in red, blue and white beads. Ruth was happy to tell me three good news. Her father just celebrated his 100th birthday in November. She and her husband will celebrate their 30th anniversary in February. And her husband will celebrate his 60th birthday in June.

After seeing the exhibitions at the Museum, Ruth invited me for lunch at the Lotus Cafe' on the 2nd floor to celebrate her birthday. It felt blissful to enjoy the moment of tranquility overlooking the lotus pond while birds flying from tress to trees in the drizzle.

After lunch, Ruth left for home. I remained in the cafe' for another half an hour to read. Then I took a walk in the botanical garden before I walked into the 228 Memorial Hall across the street. In the evening, Ruth had a dinner gathering with her husband and friends of Taipei American School, I joined the annual pharmacists dinner party in New Taipei City.