CHAPTER 49

First written: 2007-02-27

Rewritten: 2026-02-17

At the residence, Lun celebrated his very first birthday party there. He kept eating for two and a half hours straight, and when it came time to unwrap the presents, he laughed heartily with pure delight.

Holding birthday parties for residents is a major event at the residence.

The residence exists for the residents; they are the true hosts. So when a host celebrates a birthday, it is naturally an important occasion.

The purpose of a birthday party is very simple: to make the celebrant happy, and to allow their beloved family and friends to share in their joy. For the residents, the staff—and we parents as well—gradually become part of their extended family.

Take, for example, one elderly European lady in her seventies. The only close relative she has left is an aunt in her nineties living in Eastern Canada. Though still alive, the aunt is unable to travel all the way to Western Canada to visit her.

Many of her relatives of the same generation have already passed away. Those who are still living lost contact with her long ago and no longer keep in touch with this disabled family member who has special needs.

In fact, for most people with disabilities who lack the ability to live independently, their social circle shrinks drastically after leaving school. Often, only their parents and siblings remain.

As siblings grow up, start families, and move away, and as parents age and can no longer provide full care, gradually the disabled person is left alone. Without support from the government and society, the situation would be bleak indeed. Those who are able to live in such residences are, in misfortune, among the fortunate.

Whenever we visit Lun, the elderly lady always greets us with great joy. By now Lun has been there for a year. To her, Lun is not just a fellow resident, but more like family, and naturally we have become her friends. Whenever there is a happy gathering, we always try our best to attend.

During this past year, Lun also became the main character at his own birthday party. This time, we invited his grandfather and grandmother, his two uncles, and their families to attend.

On the day of the party, the place was filled with guests. Besides the elderly lady, there were parents of two other residents, the company’s general manager, the chairman, staff members, and friends from other residences.

However, due to staff shortages, some staff members were unable to attend.

The birthday boy, Lun, was neatly and smartly dressed. He is the youngest and most mobile among the residents. From 11:30 in the morning, he kept eating nonstop—spaghetti, macaroni, salad dressing (only the dressing, not the vegetables), “Western-style” fried rice, cheese, large amounts of French fries and mozzarella sticks—right up until it was time to cut the cake.

At first, I thought he would not eat the cake, as he usually did. To our surprise, he ate several pieces, focusing especially on the cream. By the time he finished, it was already one o’clock in the afternoon.

His grandparents and uncles all remarked that his appetite had grown considerably. He had indeed put on some weight, and his face had become rounder.

The best part was yet to come—the gift-unwrapping session. The manager had already allocated funds in the budget to purchase presents, and some guests also paid out of their own pockets to buy gifts. There were more than a dozen, nearly twenty in total. Everyone knew what he loved most.

Lun unwrapped every present by himself. His emotions were genuine and unfiltered—there was not the slightest pretense. Gifts that did not interest him, mostly clothing, he barely glanced at before placing them on the floor. His favorites were an electric train set and a beautifully illustrated magazine featuring vacation homes and luxurious swimming pools.

For the first time in his life, he received so many gifts. He laughed out loud in pure happiness.

We were deeply comforted and sincerely grateful to the residence for organizing such an unforgettable birthday party for Lun.