Today is Global ALS (Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis) Awareness Day. President Chen Shui-bian arrived at the Zhongxiao Branch of the Taipei City Hospital to attend the book launch of "The Stone and the Flying Bird" written by Mr. Chen Hong, who suffers from motor neuron disease. After delivering his speech, the president visited the patient ward and expressed words of encouragement to Mr. Chen.
While at his bedside, the president told Mr. Chen Hong that he is a perfect role model for all 23 million Taiwanese because he is a warrior for life and has such a great out look on life. He has proved that "there is hope while you live," and "there is always a road for the optimist." The president hopes that all the people in Taiwan will take Mr. Chen Hong as an example in never giving up.
With the help of his wife, Mrs. Liu Hsue-hui, Mr. Chen Hong thanked the president for attending the book launch and wished him luck through a phonetic board.
In his public speech, the president pointed out that while society is saddened by frequent suicide incidents, he hoped the public would take Chen Hong's experience seriously by "treasuring life, respecting life" and to live every precious moment in their life fully.
The president's speech is as follows:
I am very pleased to be here today in person at the book launch of "The Stone and the Flying Bird." I have learned that this is the third book that Mr. Chen Hong has written since his hospitalization through a conversation I had with the blinks of his eyes. Although his body is as petrified as stone, his heart flies like a large bird. He has conveyed hope, happiness and warmth to the readers through his words. On behalf of the government, I would like to express the highest respect and admiration to teacher Chen Hong.
Seven years ago, teacher Chen Hong was desperately seeking medical help for a pain he felt on his left foot. He was later found suffering from Motor Neuron Disease. Before he got the disease, teacher Chen Hong was a journalist. He loves culture, photography, and writing and had students everywhere. After the disease began to affect his body, he was forced to stay lying in bed unable to move; but his soul was still free. Through the help of this special board, he has been able to communicate with the outside world using eye blinks. And with the help of his wife, he has written many articles that raise the spirits of people. No pain can be found between the lines; on the contrary, many of the lines he writes even make you laugh. "The Stone and the Flying Bird" is good medicine for the soul. When a reader is not in good mood, he has the power to jump and fly high after reading this book.
I still remember when I was watching a documentary film, "Chasing a Dream in the Darkness" in May this year. At that time, I met Fu Hua who wanted to become an author. Injured from a fire during childhood, Fu Hua had to communicate with the outer world with a special board like the one teacher Chen Hong uses. Through the use of this board, Fu Hua brings encouragement to the many people whose fate is similar, and even successfully inspired a man who had lost his will to live to go on living.
The two of them are champions of life who would not let go of life and determination, possessing a more lively vision than ordinary people, a more beautiful heart and a harmonious sentimentality. Even more impressive is that they use their life stories as lessons, dedicate their love to fellow humans and point out the way from the valley of sorrow for the friends who had encountered the same fate and misfortune.
In the book "The Stone and the Flying Bird," the passage I like the most is the one that says, "If you live, then you have to keep on growing." He also mentioned that "the value of life is that one must not stop giving; if one gives, then he shall receive, so that the food of his soul would not deplete." Because of this motto, teacher Chen Hong is able to keep an optimistic attitude even though he is confined to his bed, and accurately feel the changes in the environment so that every visitor could become a teacher of his soul.
Teacher Chen Hong is living proof that "an optimistic person always finds a way." One only needs to have an aggressive attitude and a heart that wants to do better and nothing can stop he from accomplishing anything. When I see so many suicide cases in society, I would like very much to tell the people the experience of teacher Chen Hong that teaches us to "cherish life, respect life" and seize every second of your living days.
I would also like to express my highest respect to Chen Hong's wife, Madame Liu Hsue-hui who has been by her husband’s side during these long years. Because of their selfless love, stamina and patience, Madame Liu became teacher Chen Hong's hands and mouth to write the warmest articles to melt the ice of life. I am very touched.
Finally, I would like to express my congratulations to teacher Chen Hong for having completed "The Stone and the Flying Bird." He is willing to share his articles with others and bring light to society. I wish you health and luck.