Eric's Beijing Diary

I got a very nice email this morning from a young lady I was talking with at the English corner last Friday evening:

Dear Eric,
I am Linda! I met you last night on the English corner. Do you still remeber me? :)
I think I am so lucky to know you! When I listened to your reciting of Libai's Poetry I felt very moved! You know so much about Chinese and I am a little bit ashamed of myself because I am so ignorant to many things.
I am from a small town in Tianmen city of Hubei Province. Last year I graduated from Tianjin university and after graduation I came to Beijing and hunted a job. I hope I can met many people to broaden my vision. Because in my past years of working and studying I think my education is too standard, I can not judge between the fact and the words on the book. I hope you can give me some fresh idea about the society and life. Yesterday you gave me many new enlightenment. I am so grateful about this. Hope we can keep in touch and become good friends!
Ok,dear Eric, could you tell me about the expression mistakes
in my mail to you? I want to improve my English very urgently! Thanks a lot!
I will write you again! See you next time!
Take care!
Regards!
Linda

This letter is only one of many I have received from the many open hearted young people I have met since I have come to China. In the two years since I arrived in January of 2004, nothing has impressed me more than the genuine decency and openness of the Chinese people. This is such a contrast to what I often hear from westerners when discussing these issues. I am reminded of this contrast every summer when I travel, because I meet young people from Europe and America who seem to be so much more cynical about life in general, but especially in discussions about matters of faith and truth and justice. This is not by any means a universal statement. I have met many very nice young people from all over the world as I have traveled across China, and stayed at the various backpacker hangouts, especially in the West. But somehow it seems that young people who come from societies which have had a measure of spiritual light, but have slowly but surely been turning their backs on God, are more likely to be somewhat jaded in their view of these issues, as demonstrated by bold, cynical pronouncements.

I really hope China doesn't become that way. My most sincere prayer for these young people is that their hearts will remain tender. This is why I often encourage Chinese young people to "remember your creator in the days of your youth." Think about God when you're young. Don't wait until you are too old to care.