DECEMBER 2008 (0
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Family Matters: Giving thanks
By Ray M. Wong
I asked my family what they’re
thankful for this year, and these are their responses. Our
daughter, Kristie, who is less than a month shy of her fifth
birthday said, “My life, my heart, God/Buddha, grapes,
family wishes, rainbows, for my parents, for my daddy reading
books, for my parents loving me, for praying for Buddha, for a
flower because when you smell it — it smells beautiful
and for my parents who love each other.”
Our 7-year-old, Kevin said, “Mommy
and Daddy, family, Kristie, peace, veterans who fought for our
country, school – I have lots of friends there, trees
– they give us oxygen, strawberries, food, drink, honor
– like you honor your parents, Mommy, Daddy and Kristie,
grandparents, no pollution and beautiful skies.”
My wife, Quyen, who doesn’t want me
to convey how old she is said, “My parents for giving me
life, my mother-in-law for raising a good son and giving me a
good husband, my husband – the best in the world —
for taking care of our family, my husband for giving me two
beautiful and smart children and America for accepting
me and my family and giving us the chance
to live in the U.S.”
I’m so lucky to share my life with
Quyen — the most wonderful and caring wife in the world;
I’m thankful for Kevin and Kristie for their joy,
happiness, laughter and love, for my home that keeps us warm
and out of the rain, the opportunity to write, Jim and Carol
for supporting me and my mom for giving me life.
I’m also grateful for the opportunity
to volunteer with Quyen at St. Vincent De Paul this year, for
the over 900 meals we helped to serve at lunch the day before
Thanksgiving, for the homeless who expressed their gratitude to
my wife and me, for the kind woman named Yoly who came to
volunteer with her two teenaged sons and assisted us at our
table whenever she had a spare moment from hers and Father Joe
Carroll and all the dedicated staff at St. Vincent for giving
us a chance to contribute to the community.
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