20140607, Minutes, Taichung

[Jasmine0316]

20140607, Minutes, by Vicki Chen

First of all, I would like to thank Happier for letting me have chances to practice English every week. Secondly, I would like to thank those members who showed up on that day. The first sentence some of them said was “It is your first time to be a host, I’m here for supporting you.” Wow…it was so sweet. I was touched.

The topic “Hello, Strangers!” I chose for the first time was because it just liked the situation I met in Happier club. Most of members are from totally strangers to become a little familiar with each other. I just felt it’s an interesting process, maybe we can built a long lasting friendship someday. Thanks, everyone!!

Vicki Chen

[Jasmine0316]

Dear Taichung Happiers,

A scientist gets on a train to go to New York. His cabin also has a poor man Mr.A in it. To pass the time, the scientist decides to play a game with the guy.
"I will ask you a question and if you get it wrong, you have to pay me 1 dollar. Then you ask me a question, and if I get it wrong, you get 10 dollars. You ask me a question first." Mr.A thinks for a while.
"I know. What has three legs, takes 10 hours to climb up a palm tree, and 10 seconds to get back down?"
The scientist is confused and thinks long and hard about the question.
Finally, the train ride is coming to an end. As it pulls into the station, the scientist takes out 10 dollars and gives it to Mr.A.
"I don't know. What has 3 legs, takes 10 hours to get up a palm tree and 10 seconds to get back down?"
Mr.A takes the 10 dollars and puts it into his pocket. He then takes out 1 dollar and hands it to the scientist.
"I don't know."

Hope Vicki will like above talking-to-strangers-on-the-train story. Thank you, Vicki, for hosting. Thanks to all participants for supporting the gathering. Wholeheartedly, we appreciate our new comers, Allen and Antonio, for being deeply engaged in our conversation.

Being best known for his inspirational book Life's Little Instruction Book, American author H. Jackson Brown, Jr. had a warm reminder: “Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” Moreover, talking to strangers can go further than the sunshine—talking to strangers even can save your life. In the Award-winning film The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, the “strangers”, not the doctors, can cure this young man’s amnesia. Why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6BooNqTAbY What kind of magic do these “strangers” possess? What does he see through these “strangers’ eyes”? What kinds of responses does this story invite?

What is the catalyst for changing strangers into friends? American writer Melody Beattie pointed out that gratitude is the catalyst. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” We can see this kind of transformation in the movie Strangers No More. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkCiV4U5Jkw See? Communicating with heart and accepting diversity from inside can extend our reach outward to the heaven where strangers are no longer strangers.

Are you reading this? Are you a stranger to our Club? Well, you can come closer to join our talking next time. Taichung Happiers are strangers’ angels. Check it out!




Best Wishes,
Jasmine