The Best of Us

by Sifu Nick Francis

Thank you for being part of our family!

Last Friday night we gathered for a community event. We usually try to have a couple community events a year and have been faithfully doing so twice a year:

• Christmas (End year celebration)

and

 • Chinese New Year (of course)

If there is anything that we are for here, it's family.

... and what builds family better than food!

As it was, I was in Hong Kong this year during Chinese New Year so we had to postpone our event. Although I didn't want to cancel, I was struggling a bit to find time to tend to the details.

In the center of concluding a renovation project, traveling to the Ving Tsun Athletic Association in Hong Kong (VTAA) for my annual training, and preparing for my mother-in-law for a two month stay, I just didn't know how I could make the event a success.But then, after discussion with everyone here, excited to come together, I realized that I couldn't not find time to make this happen.

So we had what we called a Dim Sum + .

What is Dim Sum?

What is the (+)?

Well...

Dim sum is a traditional Chinese dining style that involves sharing small plates of dumplings and other snacks. The word "dim sum" comes from Cantonese and literally translates to "touch the heart" or "appetizer". The communal aspect of sharing multiple dishes fosters a social atmosphere and strengthens bonds between friends and family.

Dim sum originated during the Silk Road era, when travelers would stop at teahouses for tea and small plates. 

The plus (+) then is everything else. It is all the contributions that our members make to truly make the gathering spectacular...

Delicacies and home cooked treats of all kinds!

... making the LWCA precisely what it is!!!

Spectacular!

Basically, the plus (+) is the potlock aspect of the gathering where everyone brings something to share. And everyone here does.

Week after week they bring the best of themselves.

As excellent as I have to tell you that it is, and certainly it is always a remarkable to me, it dawned on me what truly made this a special time.

The food is wonderful, our members are a real joy and pleasure, but this wasn't actually what I saw was the very best of them.Their very best was actually those they brought with them, those people in their lives that they love and care about. Every family member, every friend, they not only wanted to share this time with us and each other, they wanted to share their most precious things...

The very best of us are those in our lives that we love.In my opinion, this is the mark of something truly special. It is one thing to trust us but it is something else entirely to trust those you care about most with us. That is truly a wonderful gift and proof of family.Thank you to all of you who came and shared these wonderful gifts of family with us. We are so glad to be part of yours!