Pure Magic

Written by HoChun Ho, one of my parents first international students and really their, "son before the first one" who they met while teaching conversational English classes at Syracuse University.

"This first photo is my brother Matty; I believe it was Christmas 1991.

These other two were taken in spring 1992 when I took my mom to visit Syracuse and went back to SU for my graduation. It is hard to believe the Thanksgiving dinner at Ruby’s kitchen with a group of international students thirty years ago would lead to a lifelong friendship.

I started to show up at the dinner table on weekends till I graduated in Spring, 1992. Ruby became a mother to me; I would call her and talk for hours. The laughs, tears, stories, sleepovers, tea, dinners…. I could almost smell the food and the wood-burning stove in that lovely house when I close my eyes and think of those days. I insisted that Ruby should call me “the son before the first one”, and Ray, Mark, Mike and Matt became my friends.

Some encounters in life are pure magic. Knowing the Adams to me is one of those precious, life-changing encounters. I felt safe, welcome and comfortable when I was in that lovely house; that is the feeling of home. Merry Christmas, Ruby, Ray, Marky, Mike and Matt. I miss you."