A Friend Deservedly Honored

Sometimes, good things finally happen to good people.

I’ll tell you a secret.

My very first post on this blog was about a friend of mine. About the injustices she suffered. About why I stopped appearing on Chinese state media.

I decided it was better (for her sake) not to publish it.

For more than three years Cheng Lei was separated from her children, her family, her life. Even trees. She never saw one. She also didn’t receive the full rights agreed upon between Australia and China during her detention.

Her “crime” was breaking a journalistic embargo a few minutes prematurely — perhaps the equivalent of driving 50.1 miles per hour in a zone where 50 is the limit.

She was an Australian citizen in China at a time of high tension between China and Australia, and — thankfully — her reappearance came at a time when China was looking to soften ties with a new Aussie leader.

These days, I would describe Lei as about the most grateful person on Earth. (And the most authentic; if you do a really stupid thing, you can tell Lei and she won’t think less of you for it, or at least not too much less.) She’s more full of positivity, of energy, of zestful appreciation for even the smallest things in life than anyone I’ve known.

Her October release was surely the best part of 2023 for her friends and family. Lei deserves recognition for not just enduring what she endured, but for letting that adversity shape and strengthen her into a better person — something she’s learned to do wonderfully well in life.

Her boyfriend Nick deserves huge respect — for toiling tirelessly behind the scenes (incredibly difficult as he was still in China for much of her detention) as well as getting in the media to drum up the awareness that helped keep Lei’s issue on the dashboard of Australian politics.

In my book, Nick deserves his own award, and I’m happy that Lei was today named The Australian’s Australian of the Year for 2023.

It could not have been given to a better person.

I can’t really follow this with anything.

I’m catching up on posting my BBAE articles, so I’ll share some soon.

In the spirit of Lei, the start of the year (really, ever part of the year) is a great time to connect with feelings of gratitude for all the wonderful things circulating in our lives. There are always more than we realize.

Thanks for being a reader.

James