Life's Value-- Shirley's US Travel Diary -042nd & 202nd Friendly Greeting --Sun, July 5, 2009

Hi,Dear Friends

How are you? Is everything good with you? I do hope that you are doing well and are enjoying your weekend.

Today is the 277th day that I have been in the US. Now I am in my last second holiday for 3 days in the US and I will go back to the university tomorrow morning.

In the past a half week, we have learned many things about the Strategy Management. I do enjoy the teaching style of Dr. William J. Donoher, with wonderful 鈥淩eading + Lectures + Discussions + Assignments + Papers + Presentation + Examination + and so on 鈥� Especially, I feel that one of the most unique is Dr. William J. Donoher's writing on blackboard. Very nature, but has been designed carefully, very often, it makes some quite complex questions to be resolved clean and quickly.

I spend almost whole of my time on my painting and music creating during my holiday. I have completed my first Chinese Gongbi Painting in the US for more than 40 hours. Also I tried to translate, sang and record a new Chinese folk song.

Even though I can not eat and I feel stomachache seriously. I wear in my straitjacket and as usually, I keep working for more than 16 hours every day.

The death of a friend鈥檚 friend last week, makes me think the meaning of life and how I should live of my rest of life again.

I think life is precious. Life belongs to a person only once. For me, if I can only live for a short time, but, with a beautiful and helpful style to the others and to the world, just like the little fireflies that I often see when I run in the night. They are so little things, flying over the green grassland with their so small golden and bright lights. They can not fly very high, but only over the ground about 50 cm (19..68 inches) or 100 cm (39.37 inches); they can not live for a long time, but only 3 to 7 days, the longest 10 to 20 days. However, just for the thousands and thousands flying little golden and bright light, they have created a so beautiful night view. They have lighten the grassplot, they have brought people a wonderful enjoyment. Their lives are short, they are beautiful and meaningful.

So, if I had to make a choice -- I would rather than choose to live as a little firefly, with a short life to brighten, to help others and this world with my little light from my own body and soul, instead of living for a longer time, but without any helpful or meaningful to the others and the world...

So, right now I feel very guilt and pain for I have made a big mistakes. I did not offer any help that I should, I could and I wanted to offer when a best friend needed help... my eyes were covered by some misunderstanding, my mind was slowly to reflect... However, I would really like to stand up from the lesson and do not make same mistake again. If there is a 1% of opportunity, I would like to compensate my friend with 200% of my effort... because, I do wish my life is more meaninful and valuable to others and to help the world getting more beautiful...

How about you? How do you see the meaning of the life? If you had to choice, what would you choose? Have you made any mistakes as I did?

I am just a learner on art of painting, music, English and Chinese language, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate your understanding, directions, supports and hope to get your friendly direction and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or Yiping007@MissouriState.edu, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Sun, July 5, 2009 From USA