Have you thought of the difference between falling from a tree to falling from a road gutter? Falling from a tree is like ahhhhh Boom! While falling from a road gutter is like a Boom! Ahhhhh ouchy.!!

My fellow toastmasters and friends, I slipped and fell flat on the road. I couldn’t move! And it was in the middle of the pandemic.
Do you remember what it was like during the pandemic? Social distancing… as much as possible, no contact, especially with strangers.
Lying flat on the road I saw the dark sky. Tears ran down my eyes. I couldn't separate my tears from the pouring rain on my face. I felt sad and injured in a foreign country. What if I broke my bones? Who's going to help me? It’s pandemic!..Until… 3 angels ..ladies helped me like there was no Covid. "Nǐ hái hǎo ma” Are you okay?" They called 119.
Wee woo wee woo an ambulance came.

Do you remember the common questions asked during the pandemic?
(Let me help you recall) First, are you vaccinated? Second, how many shots did you have? I told the ambulance attendant, “I am fully vaccinated but I don’t have my health card with me.” (You know those moments when you are always ready for an emergency but not on that day?) I left my identification card and just brought my 1000nt and a yo-yo card for that short exercise.

Amazingly, the 3 kind-hearted ladies helped me like I was their family.
I took the ambulance for the first time in my life. It wasn’t scary after all. Have you ridden an ambulance yet? Not scary, right? You know what was scary. It was me knowing that I’ll be in the emergency room with patients… maybe covid patients. Indeed, patients were lining up outside the emergency room. I heard coughing (Cough) and even crying… Scary… -a place you don’t want to be during Pandemic.

Mr. Chen…. (I finally asked the ambulance attendant his name), I thanked him for helping me out. Not much conversation, no English, just language of kindness. He endorsed my information to the medical staff. I didn’t see him after that. Mr. Chen! I don’t know who you are. You must be driving the ambulance now. From the bottom of my heart…xie xie nie.

I waited in my wheelchair for about an hour until a doctor came. I told him, “ I slipped and twisted my leg.” He examined my injury…swollen leg..oh..The doctor pushed my wheelchair to the x-ray room. It felt good. I was never push by a doctor on a wheelchair so I enjoyed the moment.

After getting the x-ray results, the doctor explained that I just got sprained- nothing serious and he told me how to take care of my injury. I was so relieved I didn't break any bones. I told the doctor, “ Thank you, doc. You are so good!” And the doctor and the nurse gave a shocking look and burst into laughter.

Perhaps they thought, “hmm we didn’t do anything at all”.
But for me, it was the longest two hours of my life from 8pm to 10pm on May 1st 2022. I received acts of kindness from strangers..Like fireworks of kindness.. Boom! Boom Boom… Wow!

Then, the doctor gave me a prescription and asked me to go to the cashier.
Oh… cashier… I almost forgot about it. I remembered I only had 1000nt and a yo-yo card. Plus I took the ambulance….so it must be expensive I thought.

“Oopsy daisy .. the bill is more than 2000 nt.” I honestly and humble told the cashier, “Sorry I only have 1000 nt here. What should I do?
Do you know what the cashier said? She said, “It’s okay, You can pay later."
"WHAT!?"
"You can pay tomorrow."
"WHAT?"What time? "
"Anytime."
"WHAT?"

You see, in most countries I know, we can’t get into the hospital without a deposit- money first and here… I can go home without paying yet. I was so shocked! “Taiwan Can Help!"
”Thank you so much. I will come back and pay-first thing tomorrow.

I took a big step.. The cashier might change her mind… when I heard…
“Wait… get your medicine first!”
“WHAT? You are giving me medicine I haven't even paid yet?"
"Of course, you need to take them to heal yourself."

(almost crying) I took the medicine and left the hospital still amazed.
Outside, I saw the name of the hospital I was in for the first time, “Cathay Qua Tai General Hospital. Thank you,” I whispered.
I saw the dark sky, tears started falling. But this time I wasn’t sad. I was glad to experience kindness.

Indeed they say, kindness is a language a deaf can hear, a blind can see and a weak can be strong. Kindness is hope!
Trust me! I'm a teacher and that night, acts of kindness (little or big) taught me, changed me / transformed me big time!( Stomp!)

And now it’s my turn to continue spreading Kindness… Raise your hand if you are with me to continue spreading Kindness. Let's continue spreading Kindness.. acts of kindness… little or big…like fireworks … let's illuminate the sky.

Fireworks of Kindness (boom boom boom boom) Wow… wonderful World! Thank you!

Contest host…