From Tragedy to Triumph

Sherry had been enjoying her study of TM magazine for one hour when I arrived at McDonald at 12:40. She invited all golden ladies to dress in red in order to celebrate the Christmas. In a red Chinese style jacket and a matching beret, Sherry looked so cute; somehow, the jacket might be too warm for the temperature of 21 degree Celsius.

Trini waited for us at another McDonald and spent another hour finding the way to join us at Hsin-Tien Cultural Center. She was like a nightingale chirping on the tree while she complained about her poor sense of directions. Her mouth watered when she saw the lunch box and desserts, and there was a moment of silence.

It took us only about 30 minutes to discuss the magazine. The reading efficiency explained the good preparation of the golden ladies. I recommended golden ladies to read an extra article by Darcy Keith. My niece had the same "From Tragedy to Triumph" experience.

Twenty years ago, on the way home from an outing with her newly wed husband, my niece was pulled out the car when their car hit a truck and got stuck under it. She groaned, "Ouch, it hurts!" Then she lost her consciousness. She went back to work two weeks after a brain surgery. Her brain was damaged. She lost her abilities in speaking, thinking and walking. She seemed to change to another person. A pretty, cleaver, and promising young lady was gone. Eventually she got a layoff and followed by a broken marriage.

For many years she struggled to get out from her pain. With the love and encouragement from her parents, she finally regained a normal life. She married again and has a lovely daughter now. The above two cases teach us one lesson. No matter what happened, we must not lose faith in ourselves, the positive attitude can convert tragedy to triumph. I admire Darcy and my niece for they are great warriors.

Joining the golden ladies' reading group has benefited me a lot. We learn, we laugh, we dance, and we brainstorm together. Their devotion to enrich the life has influenced me. Thank you, golden ladies. By Kate Hsu