It's the beginning of October, a glorious month. Jean and I went for our usual walk today, but on our way up the hillside, we came across some beautiful flowers known as "morning glory."
It wasn’t the first time these flowers caught our eye, but Jean couldn’t help saying, "How pretty they are! Let’s take a few photos." I used her phone to take the pictures (see below), since I’d forgotten mine at home.
We’ve always had a fondness for morning glories, especially their names: "牽牛花" in Mandarin and "Morning Glory" in English. Though the meanings differ, both names appeal to us equally.
As I thought about October, I was reminded of how it's called "十月" (the tenth month, not the eighth) in our language. The Chinese character for "ten" looks like a cross or a plus sign in math. In our culture, the number "十" symbolizes completeness and perfection. The expression "十全十美" (perfect in every way) emphasizes this meaning. Isn’t it fascinating how much significance is tied to this simple number?
That’s why I think of October as a glorious month, as I mentioned at the start of this article. Reflecting on past Octobers, I recall many memorable moments. For instance, my parents' diamond jubilee was celebrated by Nantou County Government the day before October 1, 2013. My second grandchild, Shine, was first visited at Jingde Postpartum Care Center by his brother, Little Bee, and others on October 2, 2014. Jean and I joined a trip organized by St. James' Church on October 1, 2016.
Last year, we spent the end of September and the first few days of October in Hualien, where my son, Rev. Antony, his wife, and our grandchildren have been living. Since my son was then traveling in India, we invited our neighbors Rev. Sam Cheng and his wife to join us at St. Luke’s Church in Hualien so the Sunday service could continue as usual.
At the start of October last year, Typhoon Puppy was forecast to hit Taiwan with great force (see Note #2023-1004). Today, we find ourselves in a situation much like last October, with Typhoon Krathon (山陀兒颱風) now approaching and threatening the entire island of Taiwan.
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Note: The name "Krathon" (used for Typhoon Krathon) originates from Thailand and refers to a type of fruit called santol. This fruit is native to Southeast Asia and is known for its sweet and sour taste. The name was added to the list of typhoon names used in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea, following the practice of assigning typhoon names from various countries in the region. -- Simply speaking, "Krathon" means Sandoricum koetjape, the santol, sentul or cotton fruit; it is a tropical fruit native to maritime Southeast Asia (Malesia).
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相關文章 (See also)：
1) Morning Glory (牽牛花) (2020)
2) 鄭牧師來路加堂主禮及講道 (2023)
3) Regarding "Puppy" (颱風的名字) (2023)
4) 全堂旅遊 -- A One-Day Trip to Miaoli (2016)
6) My Parents' Diamond Jubilee (慶祝父母的鑽石婚) (2013)
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