In one early morning, a car gracefully stopped at a corner of a crowded jam-packed street. Before the car came to a complete stop, one of its doors was opened. A 15yo girl rushed out from the car and ran to the car boot. She grabbed her bag swiftly as if she were some Olympic player. Just as we would expect her to rush to elsewhere, she paused and then turned back to grab another bag from the car boot. She pulled the two shoulder straps to make it easier for the smaller girl carry. When both were all set, both headed to a different direction. The older one was gone in seconds. But no, she didn’t. “Ouuuuch”. The little girl turned around and found the older girl with one leg kneeling on the street and then other leg stretched. The younger girl giggled but she went up to help the older one. She’s got bruises. One of her knees was bleeding too. “I’m all right. I need to run. You better go too.”

Later that night, the two girls met.

“You’re so comical…the way you fell on the street.”

“Hey, aren’t you sorry for me? There were so many people staring at me this morning.”

“Why should I be sorry for you?”

“If only I didn’t have to help you with your bag, I wouldn’t have to rush for my duty session. If only I didn’t have to rush, I would have not fallen on the street with so many pairs of eyes starring at me as if I were some crazy mad girl. Oh heck, I’m so embarrassed!”

“I didn’t ask you to help me. I could carry my own bag. Mind you, who’s always late in the morning?”

Right, so obviously the younger girl didn’t appreciate what her older sis had done for her. Oh well.

I realize sometimes we can do a lot of stupid foolish things for others that they would at least appreciate if not touched by our considerate and warmth gesture. I do this lot, especially to people who are close/important to me. Sometimes I am disappointed by receiving cold responses or no response. Yet the stubborn I still continue repeating being foolish. I think if you just want to do something for somone, you shouldn’t expect something in return, not even an acknowledgement, though honestly speaking, who doesn’t like to be reciprocated? If you do it, then don’t expect something in return. No expectation, no disappointment. Plus if you always want something back, that means probably we aren’t that genuinely nice and care for that person. Of course it is always human nature for us to hold back if we do not receive any response. But for people like my family, especially my cutie siblings, I still do whatever I consider is nice for them, albeit they may not appreciate the effort.

12 years later. The little girl is no longer little but the older girl is still big. They have their usual babbling over a distance. At some point, the topic of taking for granted was brought up in a funny way.

Big Girl: When you have someone cooking for you and have the food ready for you all the time, you won’t appreciate it. Then one day when you come home realizing there's no food readily made for you, and that you have to cook for yourself. You’ll start missing that person, the convenience and stuff.

Small Girl: Oh you must be missing me now. Haha... You took for granted for being able to take my school bag when you were in HS. And now you don’t even have the chance to do that.”

Big Girl: Huh? Oh nooo…why did you have to remind me this embarrassing scene? Yeah, you’re sooo right. I really miss that falling on the street just because I had to take your school bag!”

Small Girl: I just thought that scene is really funny. Hehe…I will remember that for the rest of my life. Geez, I don’t think there’s any sister on earth would help her sister until she fell on the street.

Big Girl: Argh, you’re so awful! You don’t know how fortunate you are to have such sister!

Small Girl: Oh, having a sister falling on the street because of me? Yeah, I’m so fortunate.

Big Girl: That’s it. I’m going to tell your kids in future that their momma is an ungrateful person. She doesn’t appreciate her older sister’s sacrifice.

Small Girl: I’m also going to tell your kids in future this, “Hey, your momma is really so nice to me. She bled for me and had the most hilarious pose attracting crowds at a busy street. You guys should be proud of her.”

Well, I guess maybe the small girl doesn’t seem to be that ungrateful. Maybe many do appreciate our foolish gestures yet they just don’t express it. Nevertheless, I’ll continue to be foolish. Isn’t that what we call unconditional love?