Life is hard but beautiful

It has been a year since I took my first Ikebana lesson. I can see myself improve a lot and gain knowledge. I feel so fortunate to have Ms. Lin as my teacher. She is a Sugetsu school Ikebana Master. She inspires me in so many ways. She has been through so much in her life and has overcome a lot of hardship by studying for a masters degree and becoming an Ikebana master. She continuously pursues her beloved flower arranging.

I like the way she teaches. We have to prepare all of our own materials for the class, and before that, you have to decide what kind of container, branches, and flowers are best suited for the teacher's coming assignment.

In our class we have 13 students in total, but not a full house most of the time. (We have lessons twice a month for two hours each time, and have 4 text books to follow.) Everybody learns at their own pace and has different levels. By the end of the class, when everyone finishes their arrangement, we offer comments and criticisms to each other. If needed, the teacher will correct our arrangements. Always, she has a magic touch. We are all so amazed by the result.

I don't have to go to Japan to learn Ikebana. Right here near Bucks County, I found a terrific teacher, Ms. Meei-Huey Lin. I feel so lucky and appreciative. (She is not Japanese. She is Taiwanese American, so am I. We have known each other for so many years. I've been waiting for her to open this class, and happily she started the class one year ago.)

Last month's class, she created a wall design with a brown hard-board for the background, using twigs and white Calla lilies. On the hard-board, she wrote "Life is hard but beautiful!" I was so moved.