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the various issues faced by the elderly as they age. “I always come across these issues – including in my current work overseeing the medical section of the newspaper, and in events that I follow closely focusing on topics like palliative care and home care – which has constantly made me think about taking care of the elderly.” Reaching out to Their Hearts Every piece in It’s a Blessing Keeping Mom Company is accompanied by a “Tender Reminder” or “Care Tip”. These are Chen’s insights about his mother and family bonds, and his tips on taking care of the elderly, including how to empathise with them and assist those with mobility issues. Chen stresses that the seniors in each family have distinct problems and different personalities. Thus, the book can only serve as a reference. More crucially, we must reach out to their hearts earnestly so as to understand their thoughts and needs. The chapter dealing with his mother’s inevitable passing is especially memorable for Chen. “Death is generally a taboo topic in Chinese families. Matters such as funeral arrangements are typically not discussed, often becoming a source of regret for their children. I hope this book can send a different message: In my family, the elderly talk openly about such matters. I believe that the children in other families can also encourage their parents to discuss the important issues of life and death, so as not to leave regrets.” 26 - popularnews 133 Gratitude from the Heart The book has received widespread acclaimed. Readers have responded enthusiastically, with a second printing happening in short order. In conjunction with events promoting the second printing, Chen’s mother painstakingly inscribed her name within copies of the book despite her poor sight. Through the process, she remained curious about why anyone would spend money purchasing the book. With Chen’s explanations, she eventually understood that other people would want to read about her life story too. She began drawing pictures of hearts, and even added hearts to her autographs. Further, paying tribute to his mother’s love for dogs, Chen donated all the royalties from the book to charities taking care of stray animals, so that his mother could see the book contributing to the well-being of the dogs that she loves. Beneath the veneer of Chen’s humorous writing, It’s a Blessing Keeping Mom Company is his mother’s great wisdom and her open-mindedness in life. Its 40 chapters contain Chen’s insights from spending time with his mother, and his thoughts about caring for elders and end-of-life care. This deeply moving book reminded many readers to make the most of their time with their parents. Did this article make you think of your parents too? Give them a call right away! (Translated by Daryl Li ) To a Buddhist like Chen, life, sickness, old age, and death are inevitable. Instead of tryingtoavoidthem,hefeelsthatweshould“小时候很想离开母亲，想飞去 face them and learn to accept them. Chen 更高更远的地方看美景，长 believes we can learn about life through reading and religious teachings, though we can only come to a true understanding of our personal experiences ourselves. For instance, keeping one’s beloved mother company, facing old age and sickness together, can teach the children invaluable life lessons. As she enters the final stage of life, we come to terms with how we cannot reverse time. When the day finally comes, we may be more at peace. Chen’s mother autographing a second printing copy of It’s a Blessing Keeping Mom Company, as a way of thanking readers for their support 曾妈妈在再版的《陪伴妈妈到老是一种幸福》书页签名，答谢读者支持 Chen’s mother did not know that he had documented her life until the publication of It’s a Blessing Keeping Mom Company. She was impassive about all of this at first because, as Chen elaborates, “In my mother’s world, there is no such thing as “publication” or “documentation”. She hadn’t even considered such a thing. Naturally, she did not have any strong feelings about the book’s publication.” 马来西亚《星洲日报》副执行总编 辑、《陪》作者曾毓林平时针砭时事率 直敢言、一针见血，然而这次他一转犀 利笔锋，以温暖但不失幽默的笔调，记 录他与母亲相处的时光，将其化为一道 道充满欢笑与泪光的人生风景，带给读 者启发与鼓励。 曾毓林受访时表示，他向来习惯在 社交媒体上记录自己与母亲相处的日 大后才发现，母亲才是我遇见的最美 风景。” “陪伴是最长情的告白”，从前父 母伴我长大，如今换我陪他们变老。 《陪伴妈妈到老是一种幸福》(“《陪》”) 一书，说的正是看似微不足道的“陪 伴”，却是我们所能给予父母最暖心的 守护。