Judy is a Director at Westwood United Methodist Church Preschool. She has a pleasant face, even, affable look. She is sweet, kind, and good-natured. She speaks differently to different people. If you are a foreigner she speaks to you very slowly, and always tries different ways to let you understand what she is talking about. Many foreigners feel very warm and comfortable when they talk to her.

I first time went to Judy’s in 1991, the night before I took a trip to San Jose. We were having teacher’s conference there. I was very excited to be at her house. She cooked great food for the dinner. We were laughing and talking while we ate the dinner.

The day after the dinner, we got up very early. Judy said to me, “To Americans, punctuality is a way of showing respect for other people’s time. We have to get there by 1:00 p.m. On the way to San Jose, we had a great time together. I learned a lot from her. Judy is a strong, brave lady. Judy’s husband was ill for a long time. She had to take care of her husband, did all the housework, worked for full time, and took care of her three children, but from her expression, you can never know of her situation. She always smiles when she talk to everyone. I respect her a lot. My experience has taught me that there is too much stress caused by friends, but I never felt any stress from her.

On the way back to Los Angeles, she wanted me to see better scenery. We took Highway One. In the morning, distant under the early sun, the mountains rose from the blue air. Their mighty trees looked, far away, like scratches upon the face of blue rock. Sometimes they were altogether hidden by weather. The cloud, rain, or wind is alive with dust. Judy told me lot of her of American experience. I was not a “sleep out” person when someone drove I always fell asleep, so even early in the morning before I had done anything, I already felt very tried.  I tried to fall asleep and she shouted, “ Come on, wake up! I drove here because I wanted you to see the beautiful scenery. Stay awake with me. Tell me about stories.” Since I just have come to the United States and my English was very limited, I didn’t want to disappoint her, so I used my poor English and told her one thing which had happened to me when I was seven years old in China. At that time I was in the second grade. One day I had a cold. My teacher took exception to my steady sniffling. She told me, “Go to the bathroom and have a good blow, and don’t come back in until you are clear.” But I would not blow, not for anyone on earth, especially if ordered to do so. So I sat in the classroom, staring at her, indignant and thunderous, and sniffled away, louder than ever. After my story, she asked me, “Do you still hate her?” I said to her, “I don’t hate her, but when thinking about that I still feel uncomfortable. This is really a bad experience for me.” She said, “You are right. Life is precious, value it, and learn from it. Get the most out of it by following the good advice of others.”  I understand what she was saying. Cheerfulness, strength, integrity, and joy of life, these assets beyond price. We should save more space in our heart to love someone.