–Allen Aisi Lin March 21, 2026
*《献给父亲与母亲的追思》 中文版全文在后紧跟。
Dear Family and Friends,
We gather today in this sacred space to celebrate a life—my mother’s and my father’s—that spanned oceans and eras. It’s a resting place of our elders, a root of love.
To our extended family, our deepest thanks, for not just sharing our lives, but helping us build them.
I must look to my wife and my sister for creating a sanctuary during my mom’s most demanding final days. You cared for her to the threshold with a devotion that words can barely reach.
And to my two sons: you were the closest to Grandma, growing up in her daily presence. You did not look away from her failing body; you leaned into it. In doing so, you became the guardians of her dignity, proving that her noble spirit lives on, in you.
The Heritage
My mother was born into a war-torn world of movements. Born in Henan, Yiyang in 1928, her early life followed the tactical migrations of her father’s armory factories through the thunder of World War II.
Grandparents sent her to Ginling College (金陵女子大学), the first women’s college in China—an institution that taught true nobility was a matter of character, a way of being. Her chancellor often reminded the students of the distinction between a “Noble daughter” （original Chinese term: 千金） and a “Half-wit” (original Chinese term: 二百五.)
That sense of nobility would later survive the most desperate circumstances. A woman of Ginling, she was prepared for a life of quiet, regal endurance.
The Convergence
My father’s path was forged in fire. A son of Canton, he traded the pen for the sword, graduating from the 17th class of Huangpu Military Academy ( 黄埔军校 ) to resist invasion.
He was a young officer who trained for behind-enemy-lines reality, before he too returned to the healing arts of medicine.
Their paths converged at Hunan-Yale Medical College(湘雅医学院). They were classmates in medicine and soulmates in the Christian Fellowship.
I can still see the scene Mom described: my father, the officer-turned-doctor, appearing at her dormitory window, serenading her until she finally relented.
It was a love destined to be tested by history.
The Choice
In late 1948, a fateful day arrived at the campus gate. My mother’s entire family stood there, pleading with her to join the evacuation to Taiwan.
My grandmother recalled waiting nearly the entire day for Mom to re-emerge—the signal that she would leave with them.
But Mom never came. She chose to stay, to finish study, to be with my father.
They could not have known then that the arc of history was bending toward a storm—that the idealism of their youth would be tested most cruelly by the humanitarian catastrophe that followed.
The Long Winter
From the early 50s through the late 70s, my parents—a radiologist and a pediatrician—scraped together a living at a regional hospital in Hengyang.
There were years when they were sent to separate, remote labor camps, leaving us children to raise ourselves.
Yet even in the famine of the late 50s, the “Noble Daughter” in her endured.
Mom and I both recalled, me, a small boy, insisting on walking her to her night-shift window just to get the one flatbread rationed to doctors. I ate it, not realizing it was the only calories meant to sustain her through the night. That was her “nobility” to me—a silent sacrifice.
The Thaw
The “breath of spring” finally came in the mid-70s. Through a Missing Person Notice placed in a New York Chinese newspaper by Uncle Chan—and answered by a woman who knew Uncle Billy—the silence of decades was broken, and the family was found.
Mom finally reunited with her parents in 1979.
Later, she stayed by my father’s side until his passing in 1983, and then, in 1985, she began her second act.
At an age when most retire, she immigrated to America, became a licensed CCRN, and worked as a nurse until she was 76.
The Final Mile
In her later years in Northern California, Mom returned to a sanctuary of books, reconnecting with heroines who shared her romantic and independent spirit.
She saw herself in Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice.
She found joy in her grandchildren, in feeding Oscar the Havanese, and in the timeless romance of Roman Holiday.
She brought my father’s ashes to this land long ago, purchasing the plot where they will now rest together.
The “journeyed children” have finally come home.
The Song
Among my most endearing memories is a night from my childhood. I was awake in the darkness next to my mom, and she, sensing it, began to sing an English song from her youth.
She sang it so softly, so clearly—a bridge back to the 金陵Ginling girl she once was.
Dear family and friends, as we pay this photo tribute, I invite you to listen to that same melody.
It is called “Forget-Me-Not.”
The provided QR code plays the 5 min video tribute when pointed to with your iphone.
献给父亲与母亲的追思
林爱斯 3月21日 2026 年
亲爱的家⼈、朋友们：
今天，我们相聚在这一圣洁的花园，共同纪念我的母亲与⽗亲的一生。 他们经历的是跨越了不同的时代与浩瀚的海洋的一生。这里是长辈们的安息之所，也是爱的根源之地。
向我们所有的亲⼈，我们致以最深的感谢, 感谢你们不仅陪伴我们⼈⽣旅程，更与我们共同构建了它。
我必须特别感谢我的妻⼦和我的妹妹。在母亲⽣命中最艰难的最后时光，是你们为她营造了个安宁的港湾。你们倾注的细致照料与深情陪伴，已⾮⾔语所能表达。也要感谢我的两个⼉⼦。你们从⼩就在祖母⾝边长⼤。在她⾝体逐渐衰弱之时，你们没有退缩，⽽是选择靠近。你们守护了她的尊严，也让她⾼贵的精神，在你们⾝上得以延续。
【家世】
我的母亲出⽣于1928年的河南宜阳，在一个战⽕纷飞、动荡不安的年代。她的童年，伴随着祖⽗宋建寅指挥的兵⼯⼚在战⽕中的辗转迁移。祖⽗母将她送⼊⾦陵⼥⼦⼤学。这是中国第⼀所⼥⼦⾼等学府。在那⾥，她学到了：真正的⾼贵，不在出⾝，⽽在品格与为⼈。校长常提醒学⽣，要分辨“千⾦”与“⼆百五”的不同。这种内在的⾼贵，在她后来最艰难的岁⽉中始终未曾折损。作为⼀名⾦陵⼥⼤毕业⽣，她早已为历行沉静⽽⾼贵的坚韧⼈⽣做好了准备。
【相遇】
我的⽗亲的⼈⽣，是在战⽕中锻造的。他出⽣于⼴东，弃⽂从武，毕业于黄埔军校第⼗七期，为抵御外侵⽽投⾝军旅。作为一名年轻军官，他曾接受深⼊敌后的训练，之后又回归医学，⾛上救死扶伤的道路。他们的⼈⽣轨迹，在湘雅医学院交汇既是医学同窗，也是基督徒团契中的灵魂伴侣。我⾄今仍能想象母亲描述的那个画⾯：⽗亲，这位军官背景的医⽣，站在她宿舍窗下为她深情献上歌声，直到她终于接受了父亲的爱的呼求。这是⼀段注定要经受历史考验的爱情。
【抉择】
1948年末，⼀个决定命运的时刻发⽣在湘雅医学院校园大门。母亲的一家⼈全部站在门外，恳求她随他们⼀起撤往台湾。外祖母后来回忆说，她⼏乎整整等了⼀天，只为等母亲⾛出来。她出来会意味着她会愿意随家⼈们离开。但母亲没有出现。她选择留下，完成学业，与⽗亲在⼀起。当时，他们⽆法预见历史的轨迹正延伸向⼀场血腥的风暴。他们青春的理想，将在随后的时代中经历最残酷的考验。
【漫长的寒冬】
从上世纪50年代初到70年代末，我的⽗亲是⼀位放射科医⽣，母亲是⼉科医⽣，在衡阳⼀家地区医院艰难度⽇。那些年间，他们被下放到不同的偏远劳改地区，我们这些孩⼦只能彼此照顾着长⼤。然⽽，即便在50年代末的饥荒时期，母亲内⼼的“千⾦之⽓”依然未曾动摇。我记得，也曾和母亲⼀起回忆：那时我还是个⼩孩，坚持送她去值夜班。在值班室窗口下，只为领取那⼀片分配给医⽣的薄饼。我吃掉了它，却不知道，那是她整夜唯⼀的口粮。这，就是她的“⾼贵”，一种⽆声的牺牲。
【春回】
70年代中期，春天的⽓息终于到来。通过林趁伯⽗在纽约华⼈报纸上刊登的寻⼈启事，⼀位在美西认识培基舅舅的⼥⼠回应了这则消息，沉寂多年的亲情终于被重新连接。1979年，母亲与她的⽗母团聚。后来，她继续在衡阳陪伴⽗亲，直到1983年⽗亲离世。1985年，在⼤多数⼈准备退休的年纪，她开启了⼈⽣的第⼆篇章，移民美国，取得重症监护注册护⼠（CCRN）资格，并⼀直⼯作到76岁。
【⼈⽣的最后⼀程】
在加州北部的晚年时光⾥，母亲沉浸在她的书籍的世界，与那些与她⽓质相契的⼥主⼈公重逢。她在《简·爱》和《傲慢与偏见》书中看到了浪漫⽽独⽴的自己。
她在与孙辈相伴的时光中，尽享天伦之乐。她喜欢喂养她的⼩狗Oscar，也流连于《罗马假⽇》这样的经典浪漫影片之中。
多年前，她已将⽗亲的⾻灰带到美国，并购买了这块美丽的永久安息地。
漂泊的⼦⼥，终于归家了。
【歌声】
我最珍惜的记忆之⼀，是童年的⼀个夜晚。那⼀夜，我躺在母亲⾝旁，在⿊暗中静静醒着。她察觉到后，轻轻地唱起⼀⾸她年轻时学过的英⽂歌曲。她歌声如此温柔、清晰，仿佛带我回到了她作为⾦陵⼥孩的青春岁⽉。
亲爱的家⼈和朋友们，在我们一同观看这段影像、缅怀母亲的⼀⽣时，我邀请⼤家⼀起聆听那⾸多年总在我心中回荡的旋律。歌曲的名字叫 《勿忘我》。
用手机 iPhone 扫描以上提供的二维码，即可播放一段时长 5 分钟的视频，用歌声《勿忘我》寄托我的思念。
感谢 Jiuying 制作了本文的中文版。
PurenHealthInfo.com 