Tie a yellow ribbon around a cuddly toy for remembrance

Conscious that my colleagues were bravely sending in reports from earthquake-hit areas, I decided to make a personal gesture of support. I went to a local market and bought a 1.2m length of yellow fabric, which the vendor and my mother helped me cut into 5 cm-wide strips. These yellow ribbons flutter from the rear view mirrors of many motorists. As yellow is the color of family reunions, they signify support for those left bereaved by the May 12 earthquake.

My next stop was the toy stall, where I bought cuddly bears, pandas, rabbits and piglets. When the vendor heard whom the toys were for he took particular care to decorate each parcel with ornate flowery knots.

My mother and father joined in the parceling work with a gusto I seldom see. One of the notes Dad wrote in his elegant calligraphy to cheer the children up read: "Hello, my dear young friend. I am Santa Claus from the North Pole and I send gifts to children every Christmas day. I bring you best wishes from children all over the world. Let's build the world's most beautiful home together."