There is Always a Power That Makes Us Tearful

This is the first day of the New Year. May the sunshine grace your face. The sunshine on your face, the warmth in our hearts. It is an ordinary day in winter. The leaves in the north have all fallen, while the leaves in the south still remain on the branches. People walk lazily on the streets or run in a hurry, everyone harboring their own hopes and gripping their own concerns.

The calendar of the new century is being ticked off page by page, and nothing can easily move people. Except reality. People have ideals but also illusions, people have received comfort and also suffered humiliation, people once no longer believed in others and no longer believed in themselves. Fortunately, the passage of time makes us deeply understand the preciousness of "truth"—authenticity, true affection, and truth; it makes us leave the dangerous utopian predicament of walking on thin air, and recognize hypocrisy and deceit. Although "truth" is sometimes embarrassing, a nation that faces reality directly is a mature nation, and a group of people that faces reality directly is a strong group of people.

Nothing can easily move people, except the horn of justice. When you face the wronged and helpless weak, when you face the overbearing and arrogant villains, when you face social injustice sufficient to affect people's lives, you understand how much cost justice requires and how much courage justice needs. Nothing can easily move people, except the love in your heart. Nothing can easily move people, except the steps of moving forward......

This is the first day of the New Year. Just like usual, we meet with you once again, feeling emotional for the passing year and preparing for the coming year. May the sunshine grace your face. The sunshine on your face, the warmth in our hearts. There is a kind of power quietly attacking from your fingertips, there is a kind of care gently releasing from your eyes. At this moment, we have nothing to say, only blessings: let the powerless have strength, let the pessimists move forward, let those moving forward continue to walk, let the happy people be even happier; and as for us, we keep cheering for you. We keep cheering for you. Because your hope is our hope, because your suffering is our suffering. We watch you raise your hoe, we watch you wave your sickle, we watch you sweat profusely, we watch your granaries full of grain. We watch you displaced, we watch you weeping bitterly, we watch you striking the midstream water, we watch you rebuilding your homeland. We watch you laid off helplessly, we watch you biting your teeth tight, we watch you passing through wind and rain, we watch you smiling brightly...... We watch you, we keep cheering for you, because we are a part of you.

There is always a kind of power that makes us burst into tears, there is always a kind of power that rouses our spirit, there is always a kind of power that drives us to constantly seek "justice, love, conscience". This power comes from you, from every one of you. Therefore, at such a time, on this first day of the New Year, we want to say to you, to everyone around you, "Happy New Year"! May the sunshine grace your face. Because of you, there is us. The sunshine on your face, the warmth in our hearts. Why are our eyes always filled with tears, because we love deeply; why are we always spirited, because we love deeply; why are we always constantly seeking, because we love deeply. Love this country, and her people, they are kind, they are upright, they know how to care for each other.

"There is always a kind of power that makes us burst into tears" Author: Shen Hao, first published in 1999 in "Southern Weekend"

happier. And we will keep cheering for you. We will keep cheering for you because your hope is our hope, and your suffering is our suffering.

We see you raising a hoe, swinging a sickle, sweating under the sun, and filling your barns with grain. We see you displaced, crying bitterly, braving turbulent waters, and rebuilding your homes. We see you reluctantly laid off, gritting your teeth, weathering storms, and smiling again. We see you, and we keep cheering for you because we are a part of you.

There is always a power that brings tears to our eyes, a power that lifts our spirits, a power that drives us to keep seeking “justice, love, and conscience.” This power comes from you, from every single one of you. So, at this moment, on this first day of the New Year, we want to say to you, and to everyone around you: “Happy New Year!” May the sunshine grace your face. Because of you, we exist. The sunshine on your face, the warmth in our hearts.

Why do our eyes often brim with tears? Because we love deeply. Why are we always so spirited? Because we love deeply. Why do we keep seeking? Because we love deeply—love this country and her people, their kindness, integrity, and care for one another.

There Is Always a Power That Brings Tears to Our Eyes , was first published in 1999 by Southern Weekly