| Taiwan Island Village: 台灣島村: In Loving Memory of Peng Ma Ma 彭媽媽 彭妈妈 - Part F - |
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| The Peng Ma Ma I Remember: Email from Shu-Gwei Tyan 田樹桂 田树桂 |
Dear Chaoying and Zhaoming,
San Mao called and left no message other than that he called. It gave me that uneasy feeling, which I am getting more and more often these days. I
shuddered at the thought that another one of ours might be leaving or have already left us.
San Mao soon forwarded by e-mail Peng Bo Bo and Peng Ma Ma's photos and other details of the funeral and memorial service for Peng Ma Ma. I
gazed at the picture, yes, I remember her and her smiles well; but my memory tells me how inadequate a black-and-white photo is: Not captured in
the photo is that radiating warmth that I always felt and took comfort in when I was near her, and that full, rich and cheerful voice of hers that I liked
and that went so well with her character. Zhaoherng said best of Peng Ma Ma's personality: 熱呼呼的. That was how I felt as a child, still felt when I
last saw her four years ago, and feeling now just thinking of her.
My age was right in the middle of you four brothers and sisters'. So when we were little, I could always have a fun time playing with any of you as long
as one was available. No doubt I spent a great deal of time in your home: ping-pong and hacky-sack games with the sisters in the front yard or
tumbling and horseplay with Zhaoherng and Zhaoming on the ta-ta-mi inside.
As a child, I knew, as long as I behaved, I was welcome to any of the homes in our close community of 7 or 8 families, but it was at your home that we
were given the sort of freedom to play hard and make merry. There was never a time, in my memory, that I saw Peng Ma Ma frown at us for shouting
and yelling at our lung's full; and I could only assume that she wanted us to be happy and that she loved us too much to care about her own
headaches.
We were such a merry bunch and she adored us all.
Of course, there were also quiet times such as sitting in your front yard in the evening and listening to Peng Bo Bo retelling episodes from Outlaws of
the Marsh. I remember well how he dramatized with his voice roaring and his arms waving the scene of Wu Song fighting the tiger.
Things changed when my younger brother became sick with leukemia and died later. My mother grieved for months after months and was quickly
losing her health and the family was shrouded in sorrow. Peng Ma Ma and Lee Ma Ma became my mother's constant companions to comfort her
during this dreadful time. By then, the fence separating your backyard from ours was long gotten ridden of, and Peng Ma Ma could easily walk over
to see my mother or the other way around. Peng Ma Ma's optimism and warm character must have been a resource for my mother to draw strength
from. I watched them going to the Lutheran church together and Peng Ma Ma helping my mother reading bible; gradually happiness returned to my
family again. But little did I anticipate then that that would be the beginning of so many of us seeking salvation in Christian faith. Without someone like
Peng Ma Ma living next door, nay, sharing a common yard, I can not imagine how long, if ever, it would have taken my mother to extricate herself
from grief and to regain her hope in life.
That was nearly fifty years ago. In 2004, my father was dying and Peng Ma Ma and Zhaoming came down to visit him in the hospital. Afterwards, at
dinner my mother asked Peng Ma Ma to lead us in saying the grace. It was another distressful time, and my mother turned to Peng Ma Ma for
support as before. This might be a passing observation, but Peng Ma Ma has always been like a pillar of strength to me, her voice always cheerful
and her laughter hearty. I will not forget the way she laughed, with her head tilted slightly backward - a laugh from her heart that was contagious and
cheered up everyone around her.
After yours and the Lees moved to Taipei, I quickly found second home in both houses while attending college. I was frequently at Peng Ma Ma's
dinner table as well as Lee Ma Ma's, and slept over many a time in your home after conversations with Zhaoherng stretched too far into the night.
Why was I so privileged? I did not deserve such attention and love, and could only attribute such to my good fortune of growing up next to the two
families.
I gaze at her photo with deep gratitude. After reading your message to San Mao in your calm words, I knew any condolence from me would serve no
purpose. Yet, I would like you to know that Peng Ma Ma has always had a special place in my heart and, of course, Peng Bo Bo and Zhaoherng too.
Shu-gwei
San Mao called and left no message other than that he called. It gave me that uneasy feeling, which I am getting more and more often these days. I
shuddered at the thought that another one of ours might be leaving or have already left us.
San Mao soon forwarded by e-mail Peng Bo Bo and Peng Ma Ma's photos and other details of the funeral and memorial service for Peng Ma Ma. I
gazed at the picture, yes, I remember her and her smiles well; but my memory tells me how inadequate a black-and-white photo is: Not captured in
the photo is that radiating warmth that I always felt and took comfort in when I was near her, and that full, rich and cheerful voice of hers that I liked
and that went so well with her character. Zhaoherng said best of Peng Ma Ma's personality: 熱呼呼的. That was how I felt as a child, still felt when I
last saw her four years ago, and feeling now just thinking of her.
My age was right in the middle of you four brothers and sisters'. So when we were little, I could always have a fun time playing with any of you as long
as one was available. No doubt I spent a great deal of time in your home: ping-pong and hacky-sack games with the sisters in the front yard or
tumbling and horseplay with Zhaoherng and Zhaoming on the ta-ta-mi inside.
As a child, I knew, as long as I behaved, I was welcome to any of the homes in our close community of 7 or 8 families, but it was at your home that we
were given the sort of freedom to play hard and make merry. There was never a time, in my memory, that I saw Peng Ma Ma frown at us for shouting
and yelling at our lung's full; and I could only assume that she wanted us to be happy and that she loved us too much to care about her own
headaches.
We were such a merry bunch and she adored us all.
Of course, there were also quiet times such as sitting in your front yard in the evening and listening to Peng Bo Bo retelling episodes from Outlaws of
the Marsh. I remember well how he dramatized with his voice roaring and his arms waving the scene of Wu Song fighting the tiger.
Things changed when my younger brother became sick with leukemia and died later. My mother grieved for months after months and was quickly
losing her health and the family was shrouded in sorrow. Peng Ma Ma and Lee Ma Ma became my mother's constant companions to comfort her
during this dreadful time. By then, the fence separating your backyard from ours was long gotten ridden of, and Peng Ma Ma could easily walk over
to see my mother or the other way around. Peng Ma Ma's optimism and warm character must have been a resource for my mother to draw strength
from. I watched them going to the Lutheran church together and Peng Ma Ma helping my mother reading bible; gradually happiness returned to my
family again. But little did I anticipate then that that would be the beginning of so many of us seeking salvation in Christian faith. Without someone like
Peng Ma Ma living next door, nay, sharing a common yard, I can not imagine how long, if ever, it would have taken my mother to extricate herself
from grief and to regain her hope in life.
That was nearly fifty years ago. In 2004, my father was dying and Peng Ma Ma and Zhaoming came down to visit him in the hospital. Afterwards, at
dinner my mother asked Peng Ma Ma to lead us in saying the grace. It was another distressful time, and my mother turned to Peng Ma Ma for
support as before. This might be a passing observation, but Peng Ma Ma has always been like a pillar of strength to me, her voice always cheerful
and her laughter hearty. I will not forget the way she laughed, with her head tilted slightly backward - a laugh from her heart that was contagious and
cheered up everyone around her.
After yours and the Lees moved to Taipei, I quickly found second home in both houses while attending college. I was frequently at Peng Ma Ma's
dinner table as well as Lee Ma Ma's, and slept over many a time in your home after conversations with Zhaoherng stretched too far into the night.
Why was I so privileged? I did not deserve such attention and love, and could only attribute such to my good fortune of growing up next to the two
families.
I gaze at her photo with deep gratitude. After reading your message to San Mao in your calm words, I knew any condolence from me would serve no
purpose. Yet, I would like you to know that Peng Ma Ma has always had a special place in my heart and, of course, Peng Bo Bo and Zhaoherng too.
Shu-gwei
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