Check In

It has been quite a while, since I last visited this Blog that we have created in the memory of you. I thought about you today and decided to check in.

Mo Nam sent me an email the other day recommending that I read a religious book written by a priest friend of hers. She mentioned that she had finally read my book. Didn't say she likes it, so I assume she is indifferent. The email was kinda strange. I did not know what was her intent, but I was glad she made the effort to reach out. I don't mean to be disrespectful to Mo Nam, but I could not find that email again; therefore, I had forgotten about the name of the book she wanted me to read. Perhaps her message was in the book. Perhaps it was meant to be a non-message after all.

And then couple weeks ago I got a phone call from Anh Vu really early in the morning. At first I did not recognize the phone number, so I let it go. He called back again, so I picked it up.
"I have a fight with Mo Nam and want to go down to Houston." Anh Vu said.
"So what are you going to do down here? Where are you going to stay?" I asked.
He was confused as though he was expecting me to invite him in to live with us.

I called Anh Quoc couple days later after that weird conversation with Anh Vu, and because I just could not get it out of my mind. Anh Quoc told me not to worry about it. In fact, he checked with Mo Nam and called me back to tell me that everything is OK at their home.

Then my sister Huyen, your favorite, wanted to do a family reunion, so I got smart and volunteered to do a FaceBook page for the family reunion. Anh Kiet got involved and wanted to help, but things went badly wrong. Chi Da Thu got upset because of some photos of her family somehow got posted. So that was the end of that idea.

Then last week, I got an idea of moving out to California now that our kids had gone, and solicited Anh Kiet to help me look for a job out there. Anh Kiet was super helpful and had tried to get my resume to his connections. So far, nothing yet.

Cau Nam, are you and Di Hai and Di Ba looking down and having a good laugh? The more things change, the more they remain the same. Or was it that things are changing and I am so preoccupied to know the differences?

My Mom and Dad seemed as though they are getting along somewhat better. Everyone in my family seems like they are doing well. Minh went to Boston College. Vinh is still at NYU, and Van is still at General Mills. I shutdown my company and Dung shuts hers. We are dead broke, but my blood pressure has gone back to normal.

We are so much in love, Cau Nam. Our 26th Anniversary was couple weeks ago, and last week, Van sent us a card saying that she wishes to be happy in love as we do. It made Dung cried.

Then last night I have a revelation: The reason for our personal failures in business was because we are so happy at home. How strange! Instead of worrying sick about work and money, we see each other, when we get home, and all of the sudden, nothing else matters. Everything is OK. Now that is so weird, but so true. If this is the one mystery of life, then I have figured it out. And with all due respect, I would not trade or change this secret for anything. My question to you is, "Is it necessary to choose between wealth and happiness? Are they mutually exclusive? Are they mutually elusive?" Can we have both? But of course, please do not answer. The fun thing in life is to try to have it all.

I read today's Gospel, "A time to weep and a time to dance". Please let me know if our time to dance is coming? Or was it that we are dancing in ignorance?

In a weird way, I thought about you, Di Hai and Di Ba quite often. I guess I am worried about my Mom. I know she is scared. Perhaps Di Bay too is scared. Vietnamese families have children so close together in age. I would be so scared, if anything happens to my older brother Hung or my little sister Huyen to, I guess. Please help her.

This is our fear, our hope, our love, our hunorous life. Please extend our thanks to God. And please pray for us, Cau Nam.

I will check in with you again, hopefully soon.

Vui