親愛的曉彤，
生日快樂！過去十多年，我們真正在一起相處的時間少之又少，但是每一次我回家看到你，你似乎都以驚人的速度成長。我記憶中有一部分的你似乎還停留在小時候少不更事的樣子，但是其實你早已是能獨當一面的大人，尤其是去年十月底，我回台灣前，謝謝你天天給我打電話，那幾天每天早上聽到你的聲音是支撐著我渡過漫漫長日的動力；我回台灣後，謝謝你照顧我、幫爸爸分擔他肩頭的重擔，讓我們一家人能一起度過難關。
謝謝你教會了我慷慨。爸爸媽媽很喜歡說的一個故事，就是小時候我是隻鐵母雞，每次去便利商店時總是一分錢都捨不得花。相反地，你每次都買一堆餅乾糖果，而且都會幫我帶上一份，即使我們在吵架嘔氣也一樣。雖然後來我還是當了好多年的鐵母雞，但是當我終於經濟獨立後，我開始嘗試著學著你的樣子，然後我終於明白了對摯愛的家人和朋友慷慨是一件多麽快樂的事。
謝謝你激勵我在烹飪和烘焙的路上精益求精。當然，我的廚藝永遠也不可能達到你的專業水準，但是每次聽到你分享一道菜背後豐富的知識和典故，或是看到你們創造出一道道藝術品般的新菜，我感受到的是你追求頂尖的執著。廚藝對我來說只是業餘愛好，但是你無形間以身作則地讓我用追求專業的態度要求自己進步。（或許在你眼中我還很菜，但是你時不時教我的一些妙招，已經夠我在美國橫行天下了，哈哈！）
這首《同手同腳》，送給滿二十七歲的你。（你大概可以看出來，這首歌是我好早以前就練好錄音的了，因為背景還是搬家前的舊公寓…）我在你這個年紀，才剛畢業開始工作，而你已經承擔了比我當年更多的責任和壓力。我們都剛經歷過一場磨難，而你正站在人生的十字路口。加油——未來的人生之旅，我們會同手同腳地走下去。
Dear Hsiao-Tung,
Happy birthday! In the past ten years or so, we didn’t get to spend that much time together, but every time I saw you when I went home, you always surprised me with your growth. Part of me still remember you as a goofy kid, but in fact you can already stand on your own. Especially last October — before I went back to Taiwan, thank you for calling me every day. In those couple days leading up to my flight, hearing your voice in the morning kept me going for the rest of my long day; after I got home, thank you for taking care of me, sharing Dad’s burdens, and helping us go through our grief as a family.
Thank you for teaching me generosity. Mom and Dad always like to tell this story: I was a penny pincher when I was a kid. Whenever I went to a store with them, I was always reluctant to spend any money. On the contrary, you would get lots of cookies and candy, and you always brought me a share, even when we were fighting. I continued to be a penny pincher for many years, but when I finally became financially independent, I tried to be more like you. That was when I finally realized how much joy it brings when I can be generous to my beloved friends and family.
Thank you for inspiring me to become a better chef and baker. Of course, my cooking skills will never be as good as yours, but every time I hear you talk about the rich knowledge behind a dish, or I see you create new dishes that look like artwork, I see what it is like to be “the best.” Although cooking is just a hobby for me, you set an example for me and inspired me to keep improving as if it was my profession.
This song is for your 27th birthday. (You can probably tell I learned and recorded this song way ahead of time, since the background is still in our old apartment…) When I was your age, I had just graduated and started to work; yet you already bear much more responsibilities and pressure than I did. We just went through a big storm together, and now you are standing at another intersection of your life. I hope I can cheer you on — we will continue to walk together and support each other in our life journeys.
