社評 0208 打虎要靠好兄弟

我看天下大小事，打虎要靠好兄弟

環球第一銀行開業有感

我在十歲那年跟隨家人從家鄉云南移居荒蕪之異邦緬甸，所幸父母眼光獨到，熱愛故國文化，在塵土及物資匱乏之堅苦情勢下，仍然克服困難，在草屋下辦起了一間小學校，讓我們流落他鄉的孩童們仍然每天熟讀學習三字経，孔孟學說之傳統文化。

在當時沒有自來水及缺電缺水的困難環境下，我們在父母之庇蔭下，也算是衣食不缺，她們経常指向山那邊就是故鄉，在媽媽囗中經常講述年青時之溫馨愉悅之往事，如今流落他鄉，一切都得從頭做起。

在如此艱苦之大環境下，父母持堅要我離家繼續學業，就在我離家前夕，雙親在塵土飛揚的操場上為我舉辦一場歡送會，母親一再鼓勵我上台講話，這也是我生平第一次站在群眾前鼓起勇氣走到群眾之間，站在一旁的母親對我施予微笑和激勵，我總算「不辱使命」完成任務，走下來時，媽媽對我說，“蔚兒，你此去上學，千萬記住「在家靠父母在外靠朋友」。”

數十年來，我們在學習和事業上歷經無數挑戰和艱辛，我把父母之訓誡銘記心頭，更是結交了無數各族裔及中外友人和好兄弟，他們的拔刀相助和情義相挺，是我們最主要的支柱，我記得母親叮嚀的話。

上週六，環球笫一銀行開幕活動，在美南國際貿易中心湧進了近三百位各族裔社區之好友和同仁，他們包括市長、國會議員、州參眾議員，來自中國大陸、台灣、韓國、日本、印度巴基斯坦、尼泊爾、緬甸、菲律賓、加勒比海、非洲、墨西哥中南美洲之社區好友，我在會上向大家保證，這家銀行是大家共同努力之成果，一定要繼續為社區經濟發展貢獻心力。

我們眼見如此熱情之慶祝大會，我從人群中把今年十歲的外孫女牽了出來和特納市長、國會議員格林及其他貴賓見面致候，她表現得落落大方，毫無懼色，我們希望她將來能競選公職，為社會服務，為華裔增光。

Fighting Tigers Depend On Good Brothers

When I was ten years old, our family moved from my hometown in Yunan to an unfamiliar foreign country, Burma.
Fortunately, my parents loved the culture of my hometown with a unique vision. Under the bitter situation of lack of materials, my parents started an elementary school which taught us a Chinese education.Back then we lived without running water or electricity.
My mom often pointed out to me our hometown just over the mountain and said we should go back in the future. But we were exiled in a foreign land and everything had to start from scratch.
In such a difficult environment my parents insisted that I leave home and continue my studies. On the eve of my departure, my parents held a farewell party for me on the dusty playground. My mom repeatedly encouraged me to speak on the stage. This was also the first time in my life that I had ever stood in front of a crowd. My mom gave me a smile and much encouragement. She finally told me, “Son, remember you are relying on your parents at home, but you should also depend on friends outside of your home."
Over the decades, I have experienced countless challenges and hardships in my studies and careers. Last Saturday, the opening event of Global One Bank was flooded with 300 guests and colleagues from all ethnic communities at the International Trade Center. Mayor Turner, Congressman Al Green and State Senator John Whitmire, we all shared such a warm celebration. I took my ten-year-old granddaughter Ava from the crowd to meet all the VIP guests. She was very generous and fearless. We hope one day she will run for public office to serve the country.