A Meal After Farewell

#2026-0722

After attending the funeral of a beloved relative, we followed the advice of the older generation and decided to stay somewhere for a while instead of returning home immediately.

We had originally planned to go straight home. However, after receiving a phone call from our non-Christian relatives reminding us of the local custom, we decided to stop at a café or coffee shop on the way. A quick Google search led us to a café with the beautiful name 巷口茉莉, which literally means Lane Corner Jasmine. Unfortunately, we were unable to find its exact location or a suitable place to park nearby.

We then thought of a hot-pot restaurant with an attractive garden at its entrance. Many years earlier, around the winter of 2013, my former students had warmly invited us to attend one of their class reunions there. The gathering had been held at 鍋仙 (Pot Immortal or Pot God). We wondered whether the restaurant, nestled in the quiet countryside, was still in business.

To our delight, it was. There it stood, surrounded by peaceful rice paddies. So we turned into the restaurant and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, enjoyed a good meal after attending such a solemn service as a funeral.

Before and after the meal, I found myself quietly praying more than once:

"Lord, have mercy on us. We miss so deeply the one whose funeral was held this morning. Yet life must continue, and we must walk the days You have set before us. May we receive this meal with grateful hearts rather than guilty ones. Amen."

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  A Reunion of My Former Students     (2013)

2)  I'll Get Up Early Tomorrow     (2026)

3)  A Short Visit to "Wu Lu"     (2021)

I'll Get Up Early Tomorrow

#2026-0721

Since Jean and I returned to Dajia on July 14, I've been living at a more leisurely pace for the past week. I've been getting up around nine every morning, while she has continued to keep almost the same routine as always.

She is a morning lark, while I am a night owl. Whenever she quotes the saying, "The early bird catches the worm," I jokingly reply, "I don't want to be an early worm. Early worms are easily caught by birds!"

Tomorrow morning, however, will be an exception. I'll get up much earlier than usual because Jean and I will be attending the funeral of a beloved relative, and our dasao (sister-in-law) will be going with us. I'll be driving, and we'll leave Dajia before 6:30 a.m.

A funeral is a solemn occasion. Tomorrow's service will be especially meaningful to us because it is for someone we love and deeply respect. It is a time to remember a life, to express our gratitude, and to say our final farewell.

Oh, Lord, may You bless the departed, whether she knew You or not. May You also bless and comfort her family, her relatives, and all the friends who shared so much of life's journey with her.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1) 大甲夜景 ~ 白玉蝸牛     (2026)

2)  A Short Visit to "Wu Lu"     (2021)

3)  What Memories Can a Rainy Day Bring Back?     (2022)

大甲夜景 ~ 白玉蝸牛

#2026-0715

Wo han Qin zuotian huilai Dajia, yuding zhu zai zheli 10 tian zuoyou.

Yinwei A-Ya, lai zi Yinni de waiji bangyong, zhe duan qijian hui guo qu le, erqie pingshi yitong zhaogu wo yuemu de duo wei jiaren zhe ji tian you ganghao chuguo lüyou, suoyi wo han Qin yiburongci huidao Dajia, fuze zhaoliao (peiban) Mama de shenghuo qiju.

Bangwan shifen, Qin jianyi women zai fujin zou yi zou, yundong yixia. Yushi, deng Mama jinru fangjian xiuxi le, women jiu chumen lai, zai jia fujin de tianjian xiaolu shang sanbu.

Jintian de xin faxian: Women zai ludeng xia jingran kanjian liang zhi yanse hen tebie de gua'niu. Jing shangwang chaxun, cai zhidao na shi jiaozuo "Baiyu Gua'niu" (白玉蝸牛) de teshu pinzhong. Qing zixing canyue xiamian de zhaopian, qizhong you 10 zhang shi baiyu gua'niu de xiezhen jingtou.

 (Check the photos below—you'll spot a particular kind of snail called the "White Jade Snail" in several of them.)

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註：關於「蝸牛」的讀音，普通話讀音「蜗」（拼音：wō；注音：ㄨㄛ）牛，中華民國國語讀音「蝸」（拼音：guā，注音：ㄍㄨㄚ，古華切）牛。臺語稱為「露螺」（lōo-lê）；客語稱為「蝓螺」（海陸腔：rhe lo）。

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  溪頭剪影（夜行晨走新山客）     (2010)

2)  《夜遊中心壠》     (2024)

3)  夜景 (The Moon, the Lamps, and...)     (2024)

4)  The Countryside (田園風光)     (2019)

5)  Countryside Views in Dajia Today     (2025)

"Welcome Home" (霧峰行腳～圖解篇)

#2026-0712

Today, I'd like to show you how I drew a map of our walking route.

First, I imagined pushing the numeral 8 over from the left so that it lay flat, forming the infinity symbol, like this:

∞

Next, I imagined enlarging the lower loop of the 8 until it became seven or eight times larger than the upper one. Then, when the 8 was turned on its side, the left loop became much larger than the right one—which was exactly the effect I wanted.

The map I eventually came up with looks like this:

Earlier today, the three of us—James, Jean, and I—went on our first walk around the neighborhood after returning to Wufeng from Kaohsiung. As shown on the map above, after leaving home, we passed Mingtai Senior High School, climbed halfway up the mountain along the Zhongxinlong Trail, and continued through Houshan Park. After descending to the Provincial Assembly Memorial Park, we strolled counterclockwise around the Democracy Lawn. Finally, we headed home via Wufeng Elementary School and the Central Taiwan Joint Government Office.

The route we followed resembled the infinity symbol. Hopefully, we'll continue walking in this endless way—taking a walk every day or two to maintain both our physical and mental well-being.

Now let me share some photos below so you can follow our walk along the route shown on the map. Without a doubt, it was a leisurely walk—the first one we took after returning to Wufeng.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  步道、涼亭、水池     (2022)

2)  Photos from My Second Hometown     (2025)

3)  Let's Go Hiking -- 走，健行，爬山去！     (2018)

4)  Our Final Sunday Worship at St. Luke's     (2026)

5)  Check-In at Lizen High School     (2026)