淑娟姐的菜篮

昨天妻子的中山女中校友、我们敬爱的谢淑娟姐因病辞世。当妻子告诉我这个噩耗时，我心中一阵巨痛，如同天空忽然塌下一角，令人难以承受。

淑娟姐平日裡总是笑容盈盈。她的笑，不是喧闹的，而是一种恬静而温暖的笑，让人一见便觉得安心、亲切。她就住在不远处的社区，每当自家后院冬瓜成熟、蔬菜丰收时，总会细心挑选，然后提到我们的办公室前台，轻轻放下，说一句「这是自己种的，大家分一分」。那样的身影、那样的声音，至今仍歷歷在目。

她的心地单纯善良，正如她亲手栽种的蔬果一般，不矫饰、不张扬，只是默默付出，默默滋养着周围的人。每一次她走进来，笑容与菜香一同带来的，不只是食材，而是一种最真挚的人情与关怀。

如今人已远行，我们再也见不到她提着篮子的身影，再也听不到她轻声的叮嚀。想到这裡，心头便一阵酸楚。可是她留给我们的温暖，却早已深深烙印在心底。那一份笑容，那一份慷慨，那一份质朴无华的善意，将长久活在我们的记忆裡，成為生命中不可磨灭的一部分。

愿淑娟姐在天之灵，能够带着她的笑容与仁厚，走向另一个无病无痛的世界.

Sister Shu-Juan’s Basket

Yesterday, my wife’s high school classmate from Taipei Chungshan Girls’ School, our beloved Sister Hsieh Shu-Juan, passed away after an illness. When my wife told me the sorrowful news, a wave of grief struck my heart, as if the sky itself had suddenly collapsed.

Throughout her life, Sister Shu-Juan was accompanied by her smile. It was never loud or showy, but always gentle and warm—like the morning light that quietly comforts those it touches. She lived not far from us, and whenever winter melons ripened in her backyard or her garden yielded its bounty, she would carefully pick the freshest, place them in a basket, and bring them to our office front desk. With her familiar smile, she would softly say, “These are from my garden, please share them.”

That basket carried more than vegetables—it carried her pure and generous heart. Just like the melons and greens she grew, she was unpretentious, humble, yet nourishing to all around her. Each time she arrived with her gifts, her smile and the fragrance of her harvest brought with them not only food, but the most genuine form of care and affection.

Now she has journeyed far away. We will no longer see that familiar figure carrying her basket, nor hear her gentle words. The thought alone brings an ache to the heart. Yet the warmth she gave us has already been etched deeply within our souls. Her smile, her generosity, her simple and selfless kindness will remain like a lamp, forever illuminating our memories, an indelible part of our lives.

May Sister Shu-Juan’s spirit, radiant with her smile and compassion, find rest in a world free of pain. And in our hearts, her basket will always be a cherished treasure.