As a young child, one of the most exciting things is to have a party, especially a party to celebrate one’s birthday. At monthly birthday celebration for the Kindergarten students at Than Hsiang Temple, we witness the very same air of excitement, joy, happiness and laughter. The children even persuade their parents and family members to bring them to school early and want their loved ones to be with them for the party and to share the joy that they really look forward to. That day they are usually on their best behavior and looking after them is so easy. Is this a sign of their growing up, or has the thought of a birthday party created some sort of magic in the air?

The first Than Hsiang Kindergarten birthday celebration for this year was on February 26th, 2005. It was just after the Chinese Lunar New Year, and the party was especially gay, happy and a heart warming experience to witness. Shi Fu Zhen Xin was also at the party. She gathered the children around her and told them a wonderful story. The children followed the story with great interest. Shi Fu emphasized that our birthday celebration is to remind us of the day we were born, our birthday. It is a day when our mother had to go through great pain, difficulties and sacrifice to bring us into this world. This touching story by Shi Fu reminded the children to practice gratefulness to their mothers.

The children then sang the song “Han Lei De Gan En”, which is the theme song for our birthday celebrations. This Chinese song has lyrics consisting of 253 words. It is a beautiful song about our love and gratitude for our mother. It tells us that our birthday honours a day that our mother went through difficulties, sacrifice and pain to give birth to us. This is because to give birth to us so that we may live, a mother undergoes much danger and may even die in the process. We are to remind ourselves of the love, protection and care our mother has given us and the meaning of this day is irreplaceable. After the gratitude song, Shi Fu gave away presents to the birthday children while the teachers and children sang a few more songs to entertain the parents.

Although this birthday ceremony is very simple and direct, the meaning to be taught is extremely important. We must always maintain closeness and a good relationship with our parents. In return we the children will receive happiness, prosperity, warmth, security, and comfort from our family, relatives and friends, so that we may grow and mature with compassion, morality, concentration and wisdom.