Dear Ruth Sun,

 

Welcome to Ruth Sun’s world

A brave new world

 

I learned of your arrival belatedly

(Only two days later)

While my family van was heading home on Rt. 1

Just passing Sandy Hill Road junction

(A stone’s throw from your roadside childhood home)

We learned it second hand from Aunt Wang Kaijun

And confirmed with Uncle Wang Hong (no blood relation)

 

Ruth is good and Sun is fair

Putting them together

The name is a slight tongue twister

Add Mary as your middle

We have Ruth Mary Sun

Ruth was a woman of great faith

Who called the true God her own

Who made a mark in the lineage of our Savior

Mary was the mother of the Savior

But Ruth Mary may be confused with Rosemary

 

Only a simple suggestion

Not to be taken serious

Not to lose any sleep over it

 

You are really lucky

Born to Jimmy and Katie

A pair of lovingly loving lovers

(A phrase of true tongue twister)

 

From the port city of China’s south

To the Atlantic shore of America

Katie was searching for Mr. Right

But Mr. Right appeared afar

Until he loomed large in sight

 

Jimmy was riding a roller coaster

Made of hope and despair

His bittersweet search ended

When matchmakers came to his aid

All it took are lots of soul search

And deeper understanding and appreciation

I take pride for being one catalyst

 

Years of his wandering

On the prairie of China’s west

Is handsomely paid off

With dwelling on a large farm lot

 

Years of his recording

The journal of his heart’s journey

Now finds a reader

As avid as Katie your mommy

 

Therefore to you I say

They have come a long way

Each carrying a copy of the blueprint

On how your life was to be made

You will have to grow up more

To understand what you take

 

You are really lucky

Born in a land of great peace

A land flowing with milk and honey

But not all kids enjoy as such

Take poor me as an example

I fed on sugar cane stub as a boy

Picked up from under a bridge

Thrown by peddlers from above

But I have a mouthful of good teeth

Thanks to scarcity of candy bars

Do not overindulge in sweets

My Stephanie can tell you why I say this

 

You are really lucky

Born in a land embracing diversity

A land filled with whites and blacks

And every color in between

If you shall marry outside ethnic bounds

Do not be overly shy or apologetic

As long as your mate is a good Christian guy

Be cautious in your search

Since there are other marriage partnerships

Against the Creator’s design

Do not forget sending me an invitation

If I will be around for the big day of your life

 

You are really lucky

Born in a year of genome research breakthrough

When 3.1 billion base pairs of our genetic codes

Were laid bare before Homo Sapiens

We carry some 30,000 genes

Making over 400,000 versions of proteins

Yet we are different from each other

By less than 0.1%

Indeed all are made from one man

Thus declares the Lord

 

You are really lucky

Born in an age of great discovery

We have some good ideas

On how the universe began

And how it may end

To make a long story short

Human had a recent beginning

We will have a definite end

This world will be temporary

By whatever accounts

Even more so are our lives

As sure as death

So why are you here?

Not out of choice

Not out of chance

But for a divine purpose

 

You are really lucky

Born to a Christian family

I bet you got acquainted with many Bible verses

Heard lots of prayers and songs

While you were still in the tummy

(Scientists found a similar music effect on neonates)

It will be good for your life

For one does not live by bread alone

But by the words of God

Yet many are less fortunate

For they remain agnostic or antagonistic

Of the Way

To Life

Through Truth

 

Welcome to a dangerous world

A world polluted every which way

Yet a world endowed with

Faith

Hope

Love

Avoid the wide road of the world

For it leads to death eternal

Walk on the narrow path of righteousness

For it leads to life everlasting

 

But before you walk

Learn to crawl

By the time you can read this poem

Hundreds of diapers will have completed their service

Many a night of sleep will be lost

Guess what?

Jimmy and Katie will only be happier

 

(Composed on July 29, 2001)