男歡女愛

"When Harry Met Sally (90 男歡女愛 )" 是一套我至愛的電影 (my all time favourite)。  我本人認為 "When Harry Met Sally" 簡直是愛情小品中的一個經典之作。  在 80 年代後期出生的人可能也不會知道這套電影, 聽到 "男歡女愛" 四個字時還會以為我是在說鄭裕玲和黃子華在 2000 年的無線電視劇集, "男親女愛"。

片中的 Harry (Billy Crystal) 與 Sally (Meg Ryan) 由起初的平水之交, 繼而成為知心好友, 輾轉反惻的經過十五年, 到最後終於共諧連理。  由於他們倆人在長久的相處中, 給大家一個機會去清楚認識對方。 

在現實生活裡, 在也有很多拍拖成十多年才與伴侶結婚, 生小朋友的朋友。 他們和另一半都經過漫長的相處, 清楚對方的一切, 性格好與壞, 是龍是蛇, 到一起走進人生路的另一步。

雖然 "When Harry Met Sally" 是我的至愛電影, 而我身邊亦有很多朋友的經歷作為借鏡, 但在我的情感觀念裡我卻常被那份直角的感覺蒙蔽。  當我義無反顧, 全心去投入了一段關係之後, 才發覺身邊的那個人其實與我想像的差距卻很大。   

Eulogy 1999

[A Eulogy for my beloved sister, Eleanor, who passed away on 9/8/1999]

Eleanor, the name whom you know best, was my beloved sister. However, to the family she was also known affectionately as BB, Eleanor's childhood name, or Pui-sze, Eleanor's Chinese name.

Though Eleanor was the tinnest one in size in the family, her life's accomplishment was, on the other hand, the most brilliant, most successful and most celebrated. These facts about her life could be well attested by all the people who knew her, studied with her, worked with her, and from all the awards and recognition she received.

Eleanor's life had also given our family name, Kong, the greatest tribute. The word Kong, in Chinese it means river. A good river, along its course allows people to use it for drinking water, or sometimes being worked on, such as building dams to exploit its potential for electrical power. Like a good river, Eleanor's life was to some symbolised as the drinking water, in that I meant she was a helpful person, and was always willing to render herself to anyone in needs. On the other hand, like building a dam, the Golden Apple Foundation which had chosen her as the Golden Apple Scholar, provided her the scholarships and training to prepare her to become the best teacher for the Illinois' school system. Eleanor's goal in life as a good teacher is exactly the motto of ISU. "Gladly We Learn and Teach".

Unfortunately, this river has stopped flowing on September 8th, 1999. However, I can assure all of you that this river has not turned into a pool of stagnant water. The tears we all shed for her today have fallen into this river and have created tens of thousands of ripples. Like a ripple, which starts from a small circle, will expand eventually into many larger circles, one after another. Now, it is the ripples that help Eleanor's radiance to be continued.

The family though is deeply sad to have lost her, is also extremely proud of her and loves her. Lastly, I ask all of you not only to mourn for Eleanor today, but also to remember her forever.