Ben
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I am kind of simple person who, must have less swirls in my brain, likes simples things and easy ways; who speaks up his mind and follows his hearts; who expects to be average (is it called mediocrity?) or little above on a lot of things but never discounts on attitude and efforts, who’s so stubborn as to don’t know how and why to adjust when believing justice is at his side.
It should be still in everyone’s mind who ever lived in China that life isn’t simple, not at all especially to a simple minded (equivalent to stupid in China?). No matter how much you hate it and how puzzled you are, life is just so complicated in China. To get a job is not about your qualification. To sing, dance and perform is not about your artistic ability and talent. To get a raise is not about your contributions and efforts. And almost to do anything is guided by a hidden rule on top of the standard one. Yes, you have to do things you don’t like. No, you can’t say the darn thing as it is. You do have the option to live your way and be yourself to some extent, but only find you’d be isolated and left so far behind the average ‘normal’ people in the society.
It is not until I came to the US that I found LIFE CAN BE SO SIMPLE.
So simple that you can just be yourself. And do your job. Like whatever you like. Hate what you hate. Say the darn thing as it is. Speak up your mind as you wish. Do and enjoy the things following your heart. Win when you are the best. Lose on the ground that you may not be the best or you aren’t giving the efforts you need. For as long as you don’t mess with the law. Let’s play sports. Golf? So upper class and graceful. No, golf is too boring. Rather Hockey, so fast and exciting. Nah hockey is too violent. Better off to basketball and NBA, where amazing happens. Oh well, too much skill and athleticism involved. Stick to PingPong ball, so Chinese and you can play at your basement. Ah, I just don’t like sports. How about that. Life can be as simple as just that.
I am so grateful that I find a place that I can live a life to be myself, simple as it may be. I can just mind my own business if I choose to. I can enjoy all the natural and simple beauties and pleasures, as simple as a good cup of coffee. I don’t need a ‘RedWrap’ to my doctor when I’m sick. I have no one to bribe to. I don’t worry about schools for my kids for I have so much faith on the public education system. I don’t need to please my boss if I am confident that I did my best. I have no worries about getting poisoned when eating my food since I trust the good nature of most human people in the righteous society just as I trust myself. I let the police worry about my safety and security. I let the government to take care of my interests and benefit as a lawful citizen, and rightly so because I paid taxes and voted the people I trust to represent myself.
For as much as I miss my homeland and my family, I enjoy the simple life here in North America. I won’t give it a second thought until there is something that I can do and contribute to turn China into a place that I can live a life that is as simple as I may choose to be.
