Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Along with the Lunar New Year and the Winter Solstice, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a day where Chinese families celebrate being together. As the saying goes, “may both the people and the moon be full” (no, no, they don’t mean the people should eat until their stomachs burst, although on this day people do feast).
But a six-year-old child I know cannot celebrate the festival with the whole family. His father has deserted the family and run away.
His mother is still holding back the cold truth, just telling him that his father is in China for a 10-day business trip.
This phone conversation I had with the boy this morning was quite heart-wrenching.
"Where’s your dad?”
"I have no idea. Mom said he’s in China.”
"When will he be back?”
"Seven more days. He’ll be away for ten days and three days has gone.”
"Has he called?”
"No, mom said where he is, there’s no phone reception.”
"Do you miss him?”
"I do. Yeah.”
It’s going to be a dark day when he has to know that what he is being told now is not the truth.
The moon maybe full today, but not for everybody.
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