We all need people in our lives not just passers by. Hong Kong’s EDB (Education Department Bureau) recognizes the importance of connections and encouraging NET teachers to return home to their home countries to reconnect with family and friends. Under the classic NET scheme, NET teachers can return every to 2 years and the EDB will reimburse them for the cost of their plane tickets. This summer was the first time for my wife Tracy and I to return back to the states together since we left in 2016.
Friends
Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about whether or not friends would really take the time to reconnect with us. Hong Kong life is busy and I’m not very active on social media. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with a number of people. Thankfully there were a number of close friends that responded to my attempts to connect with them. They didn’t have to respond. They also are busy and could have filled up their time with other activities. But they opened their schedules, homes, and in some cases their wallets to treat us to meals. We felt special.
Family
The remaining time was spent with family. I didn’t worry about whether or not time for family would fit into our schedules or not we put them first and booked our other events around them. First priority was my parents. We were staying with them, so it was natural to spend time with them. In addition, to this we got to participate in my mom’s 80th birthday celebration and 2 family reunions – one reunion for my dad’s side and one reunion for my mom’s side. The thing about family is that they are there for you. They may not always like you, but they put up with you. There is a commitment there that is not usually there with friendships.
Mom’s 80th Birthday
I was filling up gas at a gas station and overheard two guys talking to each other. “Just because it’s flesh and blood doesn’t make it right,” the one told the other. That’s true, but we instinctively put up with more from family than we do from others. So sure there are sacrifices, but there are also rewards. It was an honor to be there for my mom’s 80th birthday party. I think there were approximately 60 people who showed up. They brought cards and gifts for my mom. We ate a delicious meal together, shared memories and more. My sister Kristie organized it. I was in charge of putting together photomontages and making a video of the event. Take a look at the photomontages and event video.
Family are with us for the long haul, so we get to see them change over the years. I was surprised by the number of people who had put on some extra pounds, gotten gray hair, looked older, or were not as mobile as they used to be. But we are still family right? Right. If we were just social media passersby, we would quickly move on from each other’s’ lives. Not interesting enough, next… Well, it’s true sometimes our family is not interesting. Sometimes they are in pain and they need for us to show care. If we are faithful to do that, maybe there will also come a time when they comfort us or show us the care that we need when we are in pain. This next video who probably get zero likes on Facebook. It’s not exciting to watch people interact with each other, set up a tent or struggle to move around, but it is true to life. Many times our lives are boring. With family we are blessed to be remembered and sometimes even treasured.
