Simple and Sincere / 又單純又真心

37歲了，被問到要什麼生日禮物，我真的是想不出來。只要有孩子陪伴的日子都好。

   I turned 37 today. Asked what I'd like as birthday gifts, I couldn't think of anything I want. I guess as long as I am accompanied by children, my days will be full of light. 

        於是我們一如往常地在書房畫圖、嘻嘻哈哈。

   So as usual we draw and play in the study. 

        一起讀霸王龍的故事讀到三個人都眼眶泛淚。

   We read the dinosaurs' stories until our eyes are brimmed with tears. 

        然後男孩們那麼簡單但深刻的祝福，讓我有預感接下來的一年都會如此美好。

   Then the boys' simple and sincere best wishes make me believe that my following year will be so wonderful as today. 

        就是出外的下午茶會也很簡單，但我們吃得杯盤狼藉，就知道有多盡興。

   Even the birthday afternoon tea party is very low-key. However, see what a lovely time we have had by looking at the almost-empty plates. 

        不論走到哪裡都有孩子的陪伴，我差點要相信自己是孩子王了。

   Wherever I go, I have the fabulous company of children. Well, I come near to believing that I enjoy high popularity among kids. 

        又老了一歲，心境卻像盛開的玫瑰，眼前見到的風景越來越美。

   Though I am one year older, I feel like a rose in bloom inside. What I see in front of my eyes is more and more beautiful. 

Good night / 晚安

春天的晚上，楷維和我唱完歌之後，我為了哄他去睡覺，只好自己先假裝睡著。

On a spring evening, after our singing session, I pretend to fall asleep to coax Kai into going to bed. 

好心的楷維雖然身高不夠，還是想辦法幫我把燈關了，他是我的小天使。

Though Kai is not tall enough to reach the switch, he still figures out a way to turn off the light for me. He is my guardian angel...

36

今天是三十六歲的第一天，早上和太陽一起醒來，看著窗外映進來的陽光，我知道今天會和我一樣又溫暖又明亮。

Today is the first day of the 36th year in my life. I woke up in the morning with the sun. Seeing the orange light reflected from outside, I know that today will be as warm and bright as me.

如果說每一歲生日都有個主題，對我來說今年是感恩的一年。從倫敦回來之後，到處遇見的人們一直讓我知道我有多美好的人生，我有很疼愛我的家人和好友；我有兩個超可愛的寵物男孩；我有實現夢想的勇氣；我有成長的動力；我有好玩的工作；我有最愛的熱情；我有愛人的能力，所以在生日前我很努力把我所擁有的給出去。

If there is a theme for every birthday, for me, this year it is gratitude. Since coming back from London, people I run into everywhere have constantly reminded me what a beautiful life I have. I have a very loving family and friends, two super adorable pet boys, the courage to fulfill my dream, the motivation to change for the better, a fantastic job, passion for drawing and most of all, the ability to love. Thus, I set the goal to pay it all forward before my birthday. 

我請男孩們幫我畫生日卡，我們邊畫圖邊唱歌，從英文的「我的愛永不變」到法文的小王子主題曲到義大利文的「你想當美國人」，最後索幸跳下椅子跳舞，一面重複著l'americano，楷維幫我畫蛋糕畫到很累，還要深呼吸，最後我和他開玩笑說：汪達姨很苦命耶，哪有人畫自己的生日蛋糕的？

I asked the boys to draw birthday cards for me. We drew and sang, from George Benson's Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You in English to De Planete en Planete, the theme song for the cartoon The Little Prince in French, to Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano in Italian. In the end we all jumped from our chairs to swing, repeating the word l'americano like mad. Kai was so exhausted from drawing my cake that he had to take a deep breath from time to time. I joked with him, "Auntie Wanda feels very bitter about having to draw her own birthday cake." 

思維說要畫一隻馬，他不在時小馬可以陪我，結果他把馬畫成恐龍了，思維還不會寫國字，所以我們倆合力寫下他對我的祝福。

Von said he wanted to draw a horse, which can accompany me when he is not around. In the end the horse turned out to be a dinosaur. Von hasn't learned how to write Chinese characters yet, so we two wrote together down his best wishes for me. 

謝謝很多小天使，送給我真摯的問候，我很幸福。

I also want to thank many guardian angels of mine for their sincere greetings. I know I am so blessed...

Wanda's art class 12 / 汪達的美術課 12

不知道從什麼時候開始，汪達收集越來越多的處女座朋友，所以從八月底沿路到九月，我們的美術課生日卡業務相當蓬勃，不過因為我也是難搞的處女座，當然是VIP級的家人和友人才能得到我們的手繪卡。

I have no clue since when I have collected more and more Virgo friends, so since the end of August, we have been rather busy making birthday cards in our evening art class. However, since I am also one of the difficult Virgo babies, only our VIP family and friends can have the privilege to get our handmade cards. 

薛吉姐姐收到這兩張卡片時都快哭了，這些線條不能被複製，孩子們一直長大，它們紀錄了男孩們童稚的真心。

When Shaggy received these two cards, she was on the brink of tears. True, as the boys grow up at a light year speed, these lines record their best wishes of a specific moment. They can't be replicated. 

接下來要為男孩們的阿嬤畫卡片，小方畫了有翅膀的外婆，我們在她生日的前一晚把卡片快遞到她心裡。

Next the boys drew cards for their granny. Von drew a lovely grandma with wings. We sent the cards to her heart on the night before her birthday. 

那誰來當我的小天使呢？

Who is going to be my guardian angel? 

Wanda's art class 8 / 汪達的美術課 8

阿姨家來了個小貴客，是生重病的六歲男孩，想到他的人生也許就這樣，心裡不禁難過。中午又和美燕提到親人生病的話題，她說覺得自己面對疾病死亡是何等渺小，我說是啊，但我們要因為自己目前還可以照顧別人感到幸運。

My aunt is hosting a young guest, a six-year-old terminally ill boy. Sadness creeps into my heart when I  think that he won't be able to grow up like our boys. This noon Meiyen mentioned the topic of seeing our family tortured by disease. She feels very tiny when faced with illness and death. I replied, "Yes, but meanwhile we should feel lucky about having the ability to take care of others."

晚上上美術課時，小方和我說第一天上學的生活，他和新同學打招呼，有些人沒有回應他，本來想要安慰他，他自己笑笑說，可是有的人有理我。我們不是熱情的笨蛋，我們只是勇敢地先打開心，看到他很大方的樣子，我真以他為傲。

In our art class today, Von shared his first day at school. He greeted his new classmates, but some didn't  say hello back. I was afraid his fragile heart was bruised, but he took it in stride, saying, "But some did talk to me." We are not brainless idiots fully of passion. We happen to be the brave ones who warm up to others first. Seeing him so mature, I couldn't help feeling proud of him. 

嘴甜的楷維邊畫邊討我歡心，喃喃自語地念著：汪達姨，明天我要回家了，我會很想你，我很愛你。我雖然被打動了，仍舊假裝不以為然地回答：你愛的人可多了呢！數來聽聽有誰？果然是一長串！既然阿長就坐在我們旁邊，我和楷維低語：說你愛乾阿公啊！這小子示愛非常大方，接著又去討愛雪開心。

Kai, who is very good at sweet talk, drew and murmured, "Auntie Wanda, I am going home tomorrow. I will miss you. I really really love you." Though I was moved, I pretended to be detached and teased him, "There are so many people you love. Name them." He did end up reciting the names of our big family. Since Dad was sitting next to us, I whispered in Kai's ear, "Say you love your god granddad." Kai didn't feel shy about expressing his feeling at all, and after that, he went on to please his god grandma. 

當下我得到答案。

It was at that moment that I saw the answer. 

我問楷維愛不愛小男孩和小男孩的媽媽，他說愛啊，我靈機一動，做了幾張卡片，請楷維快遞，我和楷維強調：你送信的時候要說我愛你喔，這是你的想法，汪達姨只是幫你做出來。可愛的楷維邊跑回家邊大叫：我愛你卡片來囉！

I then asked Kai if he loves the little boy and his mom. He said, "I do!" It occurred to me to make some cards and ask the delivery boy Kai for help. I emphasized, "You have to say 'I love you!' when you give them the cards. This is your idea. Auntie Wanda just carried out it for you." Kai, the most adorable boy I have ever seen, ran home with the cards shouting, "I-love-you cards are coming!" 

即使我只是個陌生人，面對疾病和死亡，我還是想要獻上溫暖的擁抱。因為抵不過人生，不如用明亮地、深情地、感恩地方式說我愛你，起碼我們可以在悲傷的深谷裡看到一小盞橙黃的燈，知道我們並不孤單。

Even though I am just a stranger, I still feel like offering a warm hug when witnessing others' misery. I know we can never win in the race against life, so why not say "I love you!" loudly, sentimentally, or thankfully? At least we will see a small glow of light in the dark valley of sadness, knowing that we are not alone. 

這是一個三歲小孩教我的事。

This is the lesson a three-year-old boy taught me.