Ignore the sun, the sunflower

Author: Chen Zijin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: The sunflowers we usually see always turn to face the sun, rotating direction because of the sun. Perhaps this is the fate of sunflowers. However, there are always a few sunflowers that refuse to be ruled by fate and are unwilling to change direction with the sun. Chen Zijin, who is plagued by illness, is such a "sunflower that ignores the sun." She does not bow to fate and does not lose the motivation to savor the sweetness of life due to the torment of destiny. In the darkness, she bravely and passionately blooms. Since the age of 7, Chen Zijin has been constantly fighting against illness. She grew up surrounded by the scent of medicine, disinfectant, and the "glow of knives and blood." She was diagnosed with two types of cancer and told she might not live past 30. On December 9, 2002, while undergoing a life-and-death surgery, Chen Zijin faced a crisis—there was no blood available for transfusion at the hospital. The faculty and students of Huafan University rushed to the hospital in ambulances to donate blood. The 120 units of their warm blood saved Chen Zijin! From this moment on, Zijin suddenly realized that her life no longer belonged to her. Unremarkable circumstances did not defeat Zijin. With deep dimples, Zijin has bravely faced the series of illnesses and hardships in her life with a smile and has written down her story and feelings to send to her friends. Unexpectedly, starting from her article "A Fresh Start," it was widely circulated online, touching millions of netizens. Not only did netizens voluntarily help establish her personal website "Sunflowers That Ignore the Sun" to cheer her on, but they also hoped that her positive attitude and incredible courage in life could inspire more people. In "Sunflowers That Ignore the Sun," Chen Zijin shares her life journey of fighting against death since childhood, encouraging everyone to bravely face the hardships in life and never give up! Her touching story also led the China Times to report extensively on her life in large sections just before the fierce presidential election.
Hello everyone! I’m back! After 10 days in the hospital, I didn’t get a chance to greet you. How have you been these past few days? This time, the surgery removed the left lobe of the liver, leaving a 30-centimeter, L-shaped scar. I heard Lexus cars are great, but I’m no worse off—my accumulated wealth has long passed a million! The liver that was removed was tested and confirmed to be "bile duct cancer," so I’ve gained another cancer and another major injury card. I wonder what rewards I can exchange for these two cards with the National Health Insurance? Hehe～ Hehe. Life is truly unpredictable. I’m sure everyone has many worries—work, studies, love, marriage, and so on. But my biggest worry is health. Because I’ve lost my health, I’ve also been freed from the troubles of work, studies, love, and marriage. I can’t go to work, I can’t go to school, the people who love me have left, and I don’t need to worry about getting married if no one loves me. Do I feel sad? Of course not! I wish this was all just a dream! I hope to wake up and be a busy trainee teacher, being tormented by students every day, scolded by the principal, and bullied by other teachers, but still laughing happily. I hope to wake up and have legs as fast as the wind, to taste the joy of chasing the wind. Of course, life isn’t a dream. I know that many of my dreams will never come true. In the interweaving of blood and tears, I struggle to stand up, using my tiny strength to make my life shine and glow. My complexion is so good, rosy and bright, I really don’t look like a cancer patient, let alone someone with two types of cancer. I’m always smiling, using my "charm" to win friends. Don’t doubt it—nuns can also be beautiful. Namo Amida Butsu～.
Maybe you’re currently worried about something, but I hope that after sharing my story, you’ll cherish everything you have even more.