十個職場人的故事 (A Personal Note)

#2026-0621B

A Note on My Personal Testimony

Knowing that Jean, our grandson James, and I will soon be leaving Hualien in early July, the Rev. Minglong Wu, vicar of St. Luke's Church, invited me to be the first speaker in a special program called "Ten Workers' Stories" (十個職場人的故事).

I felt honored by the invitation. As the first person to share a personal testimony, I also realized that I had considerable freedom in choosing what to talk about. I could simply share whatever I enjoyed and whatever I thought might be meaningful to our brothers and sisters at church.

"Being the first speaker doesn't have to be a big challenge," I told myself. Rather than taking the role too seriously, I could simply be the one to get the ball rolling—or, as expressed in the Chinese phrase 拋磚引玉, the one who "throws out a brick to attract jade."

With that in mind, I chose to share two categories of "my favorites" at St. Luke's this afternoon:

Part One: 花蓮實景～花蓮十景：我的最愛

(My Ten Favorite Scenic Spots in Hualien)

Part Two: 優美感人的詩歌：我的最愛

(My Favorite Hymns and Songs at St. Luke's)

I was grateful for the warm response from everyone, and I hope this small beginning may encourage others to share their own stories in the weeks ahead.

(See the photos and video below for some of the highlights.)

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  十個職場人的故事 (PPT 圖檔)     (2026)

2)  Mandarin for Faith and Life     (2026)

3)  歡迎來訪～感謝分享     (2025)

4)  A Glimpse of the Trinity     (2024)

5)  值得紀念的 Sunday (主日)     (2026)

(Click the video below / 歡迎點閱短片)

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See the photos below for 

some of the highlights...

早午餐 @ 森山舍

#2026-0619

Brunch at Morning Mountain

Today, we had brunch at Morning Mountain, a charming little restaurant on Minzheng Street in Hualien City, directly across from Guofeng Junior High School.

Jean and I had been there once before, and we both felt that not only the food but also the atmosphere was excellent.

Now that James has graduated from junior high school and is preparing to move back to Wufeng, Taichung City, to attend senior high school, Jean and I thought it would be nice to treat him to a special brunch there. We chose Morning Mountain not only because of its delicious food, but also because it is located so close to the campus of Guofeng Junior High School, where James spent three years studying before graduating on June 8.

As we enjoyed our meal together, we were reminded that an important chapter of James's life in Hualien had come to an end, and that a new one would soon begin in Taichung. We are grateful for the years he spent here and look forward to seeing what lies ahead for him.

May the Lord continue to guide and bless our grandson James in the years to come.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  森山舍 (Morning Mountain)     (2026)

2)  Tianpu Ecological Pond     (2026)

3)  上學的路 (Going to School...)     (2025)

4)  班親會 (Parent-Teacher Meeting)     (2025)

5)  Visiting Gihak Again     (2026)

From the Tropic to the Forest

#2026-0607B

From the Tropic to the Forest

(北回歸線 + 大農大富)

Today, we visited two very different but equally memorable places in Hualien County—one reaching toward the sky and the universe, and the other quietly rooted in the land. Now, in the quiet of the evening, I am writing this as we look back on the journey we just shared.

Ruisui Tropic of Cancer Marker

北回歸線標誌公園

(花蓮/瑞穗鄉)

Our first stop this morning was the Tropic of Cancer Landmark Park, located on the Wuhe Terrace in Ruisui. Standing there, we were immediately struck by the openness of the landscape. From this elevated viewpoint, the Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range stretched endlessly on both sides, while tea fields spread across the hills like a green quilt.

The most distinctive sights were impossible to miss—a white, octopus-shaped Tropic of Cancer marker and a giant teapot sculpture symbolizing the local honey-flavored black tea. They felt playful yet symbolic, as if science and local culture were quietly meeting in the same space.

What we enjoyed most was not only the scenery or the installations, but the way learning is woven into the park. Along the walking paths and wooden corridors, there were explanations about constellations, the four directional mythological animals, and traditional ways of observing the sky. It felt like walking through an outdoor classroom under a bright open sky.

Da Nong Da Fu Forest Park

大農大富平地森林園區 

(花蓮/光復鄉)

Later in the day, we traveled to another world entirely—the Danongdafu Forest Park in Guangfu Township. If the first place invited us to look upward, this one encouraged us to slow down and return to the earth.

As we drove through the East Rift Valley, the forest suddenly appeared after passing the chimney of the old Hualien Sugar Factory. It felt less like entering a park and more like arriving in a living landscape.

This vast forest—once open plain land—has been gradually restored through large-scale reforestation over recent decades. Today, it stands as Taiwan’s first lowland forest park, covering an area so large that it is often compared to dozens of Da’an Forest Parks in Taipei. Standing there, we were reminded of the quiet power of time—the idea that forests grow slowly but steadily, and that restoration is a long conversation with nature.

Walking along its paths, we were surrounded by layers of green and the gentle rhythm of the forest. It is not only beautiful but also deeply functional—absorbing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and connecting surrounding agriculture and communities. Yet beyond all these ideas, what we felt most strongly was something simple: calmness—a quiet that gently settles the mind.

Closing Thoughts

These two places felt like contrasts in many ways—one pointing toward the sky and cosmic order, the other rooted deeply in soil and renewal. Yet together, they offered a gentle reminder that nature is both vast and intimate, scientific and poetic, shaped by both human care and its own quiet resilience.

Now, as evening settles in, I find myself thinking back on the day—not just as a trip between two attractions in Hualien, but as a quiet movement between two ways of understanding the world: looking up at the stars, and listening to the forest breathe.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  到「紅葉村」走一走     (2026)

2)  An Outing: Matai'an Wetland     (2025)

3)  My Favorite Place to Visit     (2026)

4)  A Buffet Lunch and Wonderful Conversations     (2026)