Issue 14

Really listen to fax love

Without you, I wouldn't have been able to climb out of the darkest valley of my life so quickly...

When I was sorting out the drawers, an old photo slipped out from the pile of clutter. My thoughts suddenly surged, thinking of those old neighbors on La Vieve Lane!

Confused and confused, meeting Jenny

I vaguely remember that afternoon more than ten years ago, when I was walking to the mailbox in front of the lawn in the front yard to pick up a letter, I saw Jenny, who lived diagonally across the door, wandering towards me. Her brows were furrowed and her face was gloomy. I asked with concern: "Jenny, are you okay?"

"I'm not good! I'm not good!" She muttered and sobbed: "What should I do? What should I do? Tony has moved out! He said that the house and the children will all belong to me, as long as he lets him Let’s go, because he doesn’t love me anymore, and his lawyer wants me to sign quickly. You ask, what should I do now?”

Before I could react, Jenny, who was five feet ten inches tall, leaned over and hugged me, crying like a child. My mind was filled with panic and confusion. I patted her back, but couldn't think of a word of comfort. I could only cry with her and stammered: "Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid! Let's think about it together." There must be a way to survive."

That day, I silently stayed with Jenny, whose eyes were swollen from crying, and listened to her talk of sadness, grievance, and unwillingness. I didn’t leave until her daughter, who was in high school, came home.

▲In the "surprise party", the conveners Ginny (first from left in front), Jenny (second from left in front), the author (first from right in back), and other neighbors present were delighted to see Jenny in high spirits and set out again.

She was cheerful and kind

How can it be? I really can't believe that Jenny and Tony's marriage ended in divorce.

In the midsummer of 1987, we bought a new house and happily moved into "Leweifu Street", becoming the only Oriental family on that street. Jenny and Tony were the first couple to welcome us with their two daughters and chocolate candies. Never could he have imagined that a few years later, the gentle and polite Tony would have an extramarital affair with his female secretary, ruthlessly enacting the tragedy of abandoning his wife and daughter.

Jenny is a standard beauty, with a tall figure like a professional model. She has the same lavender eyes as Elizabeth Taylor. At first glance, her temperament is similar to that of Linda, the heroine of the sensational "Dynasty" series. Linda Evans is somewhat similar. Her cheerfulness and kindness have made her the main person in contact with various activities among the neighbors.

In the eyes of the Chinese, I am considered a "big boy", but I am the youngest and smallest among the women in my neighborhood, so they all regard me as their "little sister." Later, when I gave birth to my child, Jenny even mobilized the neighbors to organize a "baby shower" for me. I still remember the warmth and touching feeling!

Love her by truly listening to her

Although Jenny was filled with pain and disappointment caused by the betrayal, she had no choice but to sign the divorce. Apart from feeling sorry for her, I didn’t know what I could do or say to her. But when I meet her occasionally, I always give her a warm hug and talk about the current situation.

About two or three months later, one day I received a call from Jenny from across the street, saying that she was planning to invite some neighbor women who were not at work to hold a "surprise party" for Jenny to celebrate her 40th birthday. , I readily agreed. A week later we met for lunch at Genie’s house, and after the meal we lit forty small candles on the cake for Genie. She patiently blew out the candles one by one, looked at us, and said with a smile: "Thank you! Without you, I would not have climbed out of the darkest valley in my life so quickly. Although I still feel sad now, I know I'm not alone."

She slowly opened each gift and kept thanking everyone. With tears in her eyes, she said: "When I first knew that Tony was going to abandon me, I almost collapsed. I cried all day long, and my heart was like a knife. It’s scarred, it hurts, it hurts! My self-esteem has been brutally trampled on, and I feel hateful and afraid. I’m afraid of facing myself, and I’m even more afraid of facing you, my neighbors for many years.”

"Thank you for always crying with me and listening to my complaints whenever you see me. You may not know how much this helps me!" Jenny said with a serious expression: "My mother is worried I suffered from depression, and I went to see a psychiatrist many times. Even the psychiatrist was surprised by my miraculous recovery. You cared about me so much, and I felt that you loved me with your sincerity and listening. . This kind of love has the effect of bringing the dead back to life. It is a kind of power and a kind of healing. I decided not to cry anymore and to live my life with a different attitude."

Start again in high spirits

That day, the look on Jenny's face when she said these words was like a ray of hope, shining in the hearts of each of us.

Later, Jenny actively obtained the teaching qualification in the state, entered the education field, and started anew. Although life is not as luxurious and wealthy as before, it is still very stable and fulfilling.

Within a few years, we moved away from "Le Weifu Street" and lost contact with our old neighbors in the busyness.

Although this old photo taken in 1994 has long become a small corner in my colorful life memories, the words that Jenny said that day are still ringing in my ears. Nowadays, "If you are sincere and listen, you can make people feel loved" has become a constant reminder when I interact with people.


Author profile
Zhuang Zhi, after giving birth to children, found that children are really fun, so she became a housewife and occasionally wrote short essays to entertain herself. He is currently a special correspondent for the "Alberta Times" and also writes the "New Mind" column.