Life is filled with dreams to chase and goals to fulfill. What is your dream? And when time becomes a finite resource, what occupies your heart most? As life nears its end, patients often find themselves reflecting on the meaning and value of their journey through this world. The 'report card' of their lives takes many forms: some feel lost or confused, others carry regrets, while some find a sense of firm peace and resolution.
Grandpa Wen-Hsiung Tsou is 84 years old, typically full of spirit and vitality. When sudden symptoms left him unable to walk, he sought medical help, only to receive the heartbreaking diagnosis of terminal cancer—beyond the reach of aggressive treatment. Yet, facing this outcome, Grandpa Tsou chose neither self-pity nor resentment. Throughout his care, he spoke passionately about his dedication to promoting the Taiwanese language, his eyes shining with the desire to remain meaningful to the world. He often says that the elderly are cultural assets and should be 'utilized to their fullest.' Even now, while battling a severe illness, he seizes every moment—whether being cared for by nurses or volunteers—to teach them Taiwanese, hoping to pass down the flame of Taiwanese culture to the next generation.
We curiously asked Grandpa Tsou what inspired him to make the promotion of Taiwanese culture his lifelong mission. He smiled and recalled his grandfather, an intellectual who graduated from National Taiwan University during the Japanese colonial period. While many spoke Japanese at the time, his grandfather insisted on speaking Taiwanese. As a child, he followed his grandfather and listened to the conversations of scholars and literati. Through this immersion, he discovered that Taiwanese is a fascinating and rich language. This sparked his interest in teaching, leading him to compile his own textbooks and serve as a judge for national Taiwanese language competitions for many years.
He lamented that many today do not cherish this cultural asset, feeling a deep sense of mission when he sees children growing up in Taiwan unable to speak the language. "As long as there is a chance, I will do my best to help people understand Taiwanese culture," he said. He then shared that this illness came so suddenly—if there were a Taiwanese singing and storytelling competition, he would love to take the stage one last time to enjoy the feeling of an audience watching him and being moved to laughter by his performance.
Under Grandpa’s guidance, the "Hospice Cup Taiwanese Singing and Storytelling Competition" took shape. From drafting the regulations and planning the venue to creating scorecards, every step was completed to the standards of a professional competition. The response was much more enthusiastic than we had expected.
On the day of the event, Grandpa opened the show with three Taiwanese comedic monologues, instantly warming up the atmosphere. We invited Grandpa and his attending physician, Dr. Yu-Kuang Chen, to serve as judges. The competition kicked off with Dr. Chia-Hung Chen, Director of Hematology and Oncology, singing "World's Number One." This was followed by a bereaved family member who had previously stayed in the hospice ward, delivering a humorous dialogue based on the different pronunciations of "West, Watermelon, and West Side." Volunteers then led everyone through nostalgic nursery rhymes like "White Egret" and "Northwest Rain," as well as the classic "The One I Long For." Since Grandpa is from Keelung, a special performance of "Big Ship Entering the Harbor" was arranged, along with a musical skit of "The Sky is Dark."
As the audience clamored for more, there was even an impromptu encore for improvised jokes. The event concluded with Grandpa providing comments and presenting awards—"Best Performance," "Best Stage Presence," and "Most Popular Award"—along with mysterious gifts prepared by the hospice team secretary. The entire event was filled with peaks of excitement and continuous laughter, truly letting everyone feel what Grandpa meant: Taiwanese is indeed a rich and fascinating cultural treasure!
As the book The Alchemist says: "At any point in their lives, human beings are capable of doing what they dream of." Through his unwavering dedication to promoting Taiwanese culture, Grandpa Tsou led us to witness the truth of these words. He allowed us to feel the profound beauty of a life spent fulfilling a lifelong dream.(Published with the consent of the patient and their family.)