【推荐2】In January 2020, I left for a mission, along with a 75-person crew. I had got to know everyone quite well, which made me feel confident that everything would run smoothly. The main goal of the mission was to voyage through the water, identifying boats and aircraft with our sensors while remaining undetected. We were the eyes and ears of the French navy, 300 metres under the ocean.

Being in a submarine (潜水艇) is a bit like being in a spaceship. Letters from family were allowed to keep crew members motivated, but for safety and caution, all communication from the crew’s families was seen first by navy staff who removed any content that could cause panic on board.

In February 2020, as Covid-19 started to emerge in Europe, the navy began to block all Covid-19-related news in our life. Throughout March and April, we had no idea that Covid-19 was even a thing, let alone that France was under strict lockdown.

The day finally came when we were set to come back. The radio channels on the submarine announced the news: “There is a deadly virus, and the country is locked down.” Actually, the information didn’t make any sense to me at that time. “Lockdown” was a new word to me. I didn’t know what to expect.

When I got out of the submarine. I got my phone back and received weeks’ worth of panicked messages. I took a train back to Paris, where my family lives, and was completely lost. People had masks and gloves on. I put over my mouth a fireproof mask that had been given to me by the navy. I just thought, everyone is hiding their mouths, so I’ll do it, too, even though I didn’t know why.

【推荐3】Yesterday, I met a delightful woman at a work event. As we talked, she talked about her childhood in Manila, Philippines. She spoke about the way her culture values their elders, and she explained that children are educated from the time of birth to honor and respect people older than themselves.

It was refreshing to hear that, and I enjoyed listening and learning. Here is the memory she shared that I found so beautiful:

When she was growing up, her father had three jobs to take care of his family. She said her dad never complained, and though he worked very hard, he always had time for them. One day, her father was injured at his full-time job. For several months, he was mailed temporary (暂时的) disability checks while he recovered.

When her father was able to return to his full-time job, he took all those disability checks that were sent to him while he was recovering and handed them back to the company. He told them that he had good legs and arms, and did not need this money. He told them to give the money to people who could not work, to people who really needed it.

The woman telling the story was a little girl at that time. She had accompanied her father that very day when he went back to his company with all those unopened checks.

“My father is my hero,” she said. Lowering her voice, she said she would never forget what he did, and what an inspiration and influential mentor (良师益友) he was on how to live life. From my communication with her, it was very obvious that her father’s same sweet spirit had been passed down to this woman, and to her family.

Hearing this story was so refreshing to my soul. I hope it is the same to you too.

【推荐1】On the website of the EU Prize for Women Innovators, there are dozens of inspiring stories of female leaders alongside pictures of these professional-looking women wearing single color business suits. But when we move the page down a little further, Ailbhe and Izzy’s pictures pop off the page, with their eye-catching colors and bright rainbow patterns, which is entirely in line with their company belief “If you can’t stand up, stand out.” The fashionable sisters took the world by storm with their personalized wheelchair decorations.

Ailbhe, now 25, was four years old when she became a big sister to Izzy. Although Izzy was born disabled and couldn’t move from the waist down, her courage and energy deeply impressed Ailbhe and the two sisters developed a lifelong friendship. They spent hours as children decorating Izzy’s wheelchairs and her other mobility devices. So when Ailbhe graduated from the National College of Art and had to complete a final year project, she knew what to choose-dress up a wheelchair’s wheels! Ailbhe said, “The wheelchair itself didn’t show Izzy’s attitudes to life, or her energetic personality. It was ugly and made you lose confidence. I thought there might be a way of bridging that gap.”

Ailbhe’s project was extremely well received at her school’s design show. Izzy loved the new wheels as well. A state organization helped the sisters work with fashion designers and get their business to take off. The next step for the sisters was partnering with big companies which were interested in representing people with disabilities. They turned to Disney. After all, this cooperation would involve one of their favorite activities-watching Disney movies! Besides, Disney was willing to donate 10% of profits to a charity that helps disabled children. In addition, the company promised to realize the dreams of children with disabilities.

The sisters are excited for their creativity to make life in a wheelchair more fashionable, fun and personalized.