Truly a mysterious creature, not many people know very much about Tai San. She opened up her heart to her husband Lex but even he does not know everything about her history.The reason behind this secrecy and Tai San’s seemingly arrogant nature stems from her family.
Of Chinese descent, Tai San was the first daughter born to a family that eventually had four children, two boys and two girls.Tai San’s father was a business man and her mother a receptionist in a homeopathic surgery.
The first daughter was often left at home to watch the younger children and Tai San found this very difficult as she wanted to devote more time to her study.
Tai San was a solitary child and did not have many friends. She relished the time that she had on her own as she didn’t get it very often and loved to go for long walks in the countryside to have some thinking time.
What did she think about?
Her grandmother.
Lily had died when Tai San was still fairly young but she was old enough to remember the stories that her grandmother had told her of the old land and all the relatives that had been left behind. It was Lily who taught Tai San’s mother about herbal medicines and Tai San found herself fascinated about the intricacies of these recipes and the thought process behind them.
Lily had all the time in the world for her beloved first born granddaughter who reminded her of herself when she was young. Tai San lapped up this attention as she did not receive much of it from her own parents who were always at work, trying to create a better lifestyle for their young family in a new country.
When Lily was struck with a debilitating illness Tai San was devastated and never got over her death. She kept the words that her grandmother last uttered to her close to her heart, “Learn to spread your wings Tai San, you are destined for great things in this world. Never doubt yourself, listen to your inner voice and trust your natural instincts.”
And so Tai San did as she was told; her instincts told her that she needed to study and to take the time to reflect upon what her inner voice would whisper to her.
The virus struck suddenly and Tai San’s father was hit badly almost from the beginning. His defenses were down because he worked so hard for so many hours, for so many years. The younger children were sent away to the old land to live with the relatives. The virus had not yet reached that far across the world…
Tai San was required to stay at home to care for her dying father whilst Mother went out to work and provide for the little family. All too soon death came knocking at the door and Tai San was left totally alone.
The one thing that she had longed for – her own space and time – was now hers but she felt no joy in her heart. She wished with every fibre of her body that she could have her family back. She missed her brothers and sister and had no idea where they had ended up as the virus had by now crept its way into every corner of the world.
She wanted her parents back, wanted to tell them how much she loved them, wanted to know that they loved her too.
Tai San sank into the very depths of depression for a month but soon she could once more hear the words that her grandmother had spoken to her and she decided that she would get back on her feet and do something, make a difference and help where she could.
She told herself that she would never let herself get close to anybody again, she would never again feel the hurt that clutched at her heart now that her family had gone.
She would do what she had to do for the greater good and would listen with open ears and an open heart to the whispers of the wind.