今天是 3 月 19 日，是你的生日。「親愛的，祝你 23 歲生日快樂！你是選擇愛的典範，在你與我們分享的生命旅程中，你教導了我和許多人，僅僅因為你如此做自己！」
I wanted to update the supporters of Bright Side Projects as one of our most beloved children, short of his 23rd birthday, has passed away recently due to a sudden illness. He was a child of ours and foremost, a friend, before Bright Side Projects even had a name. It was our friendship that so many of our programs and my life outlook, was organically shaped – from real life, true love, and the trials and tribulations of an 11 year old child as he grew into a young adult.
His life included filial love for his family and friends. We tried to uplift each other and he even consoled me when I was down, thereby showing me the times that children and really just anyone, may have needed additional support.
Whatever the case it may have been from being present and available in taking him to get his first pair of glasses, driving him to his first job interview right out of middle school, first health check up, placing on that first band aid, getting stickers printed, searching for housing, helping us in the office, meeting his romantic partner, him going with us to Chingchuan, Taichung, Taitung, for workshops with kids or to deliver gifts and necessities, taking his first train ride and his first “scary but exciting” airplane flight from Taitung back to Taipei, cycling back to the office on YouBike as we celebrated his birthday, he taught me patience and reminded me of the wonders of life and how to live it again.
One of the conversations we had at the end of last year other than trying to meet up for a catchup dinner, – in which he had already looked up vegan friendly options near me!! – was that he wanted to join us in delivering food staples and necessities because we had done the same for him so many years ago. Unfortunately, as the necessities delivery date last December neared, he was not allowed to take any more time off work as he worked very hard to provide for his family.
In life, at work, and in donating to charities, we’ve always questioned the value, demanding metrics of success, looking to KPI, but as we should have also learned as we face the real world is that love and kindness cannot be measured so scientifically in a human being as to deem them if they are worthy of life. No one is less worthy of receiving love and support. I will not judge a person for their “success” in life coming from their job title and their salary pay. I will not judge a person for their educational background. I will not judge a person for their looks, or their status and power. I will choose to understand the person and their actions of how they treat others in life.
Recently I saw a quote, that the language of love is to love someone the way they need us to – not just the way that is comfortable or convenient for us. Bright Side Projects and our friendship came to mind because the way I could support him and how he supported me, was in the ways that we each needed – and that is why we remained a part of each other’s lives.
So I chose to write this update not only for him, but chose to share this with you because you chose to also be on this journey with us. Through the vehicle of Bright Side Projects, we were able to provide additional support that I alone could have not done, and in turn he was able to show us how to truly love others. You chose love, you chose to stay, for this child and each child, to learn in their language, what they need.
Because you believed that what we were doing was important and meaningful, he also believed and knew that despite challenges in life, he was loved and he was valued. Maybe he never knew it but his life actually made a difference for so many.
Today March 19th is your birthday. Happy 23rd birthday my dear one. You are what it means to choose love. You have taught me and so many others in the life journey that you chose to share with us – all just by being you.
Yours forever,
Daisy
