Pitter-patter, 2024

A sound of blessings.
It was when I stood beneath the falling rain from the sky, I found grace.

In late May 2024, I proposed to a woman from California. She had come to visit me in New York, unaware that I had been planning something she would never have expected. It was only our third time meeting in person since we first connected in late January of the same year.

Fortunately, she said yes. Gratefully, everything fell into place—from planning the marriage to selecting the wedding venue, organizing the reception, inviting family and friends, and celebrating together. Everything went smoothly except for one thing: deciding where we would live after it was all over.

After returning to New York from a long business trip to Beijing, China, I immediately began hunting for our honeymoon house. Having lived in New York for over a decade, I felt an urge to move away from the chaos of the city.

Every Saturday, from early morning until late afternoon, I booked back-to-back property tours, viewing more than 60 apartments and houses, each one increasing my despair and anxiety. The clock was ticking: before our September wedding and before flying to California, I needed to find us a place to live.

Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay, NY
Proposal Spot (May 2024)

Still, I did not lose hope. Instead, I let go of my obsession with finding the “perfect” place. Eventually, I found a decent two-bedroom apartment and submitted an application. The very next day, however, the owner requested additional documents and pressured me to provide them immediately—or risk losing the listing to someone else (he even showed me a list of 10+ names waiting in line behind mine, not sure if the list was real).

That same day, while scrambling to gather what was needed for that application, a real estate broker called me about one final listing she wanted me to see. At first, I hesitated. For one thing, I feared losing the first apartment if I didn’t act quickly enough. For another, her previous two listings hadn’t impressed me at all. I doubted her ability to deliver quality options. Still uncertain, I spoke with my fiancée about it. Together we decided to take a chance on this last option with a “If I lose, I lose” mindset.

After a long day at work, I hopped on a bus to see what this so-called “last hope” had to offer. It had been raining since the afternoon. The sky was gray and gloomy. From the bus stop to the location took 20 minutes on foot. Without an umbrella, I arrived completely soaked.

As I climbed up the staircase—partially blocked by a baby gate—I noticed a sweet little 15-month-old baby smiling and waving at me from behind it. Despite the humid weather outside, despite all the doubts and worries, the house was cozy and neat. The air inside embraced me warmly—much like that baby’s innocent smile—and welcomed me home. Without hesitation or further questions, I told them I wanted to sign the lease.

I named this artwork “Pitter-Patter”, a sound of blessing that found me on a rainy night. Even now, I vividly remember standing under a tall tree waiting for a cab after finalizing everything. Raindrops slipped through thin branches and fell—forming puddles and streams below—and their gentle sound filled my eardrums with love and comfort from above.

Pitter-patter, 2024

A sound of blessings.

It was when I stood beneath the falling rain from the sky, I found grace.

In late May 2024, I proposed to a woman from California. She had come to visit me in New York, unaware that I had been planning something she would never have expected. It was only our third time meeting in person since we first connected in late January of the same year.

Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay, NY
Proposal Spot (May 2024)

Fortunately, she said yes. Gratefully, everything fell into place—from planning the marriage to selecting the wedding venue, organizing the reception, inviting family and friends, and celebrating together. Everything went smoothly except for one thing: deciding where we would live after it was all over.

After returning to New York from a long business trip to Beijing, China, I immediately began hunting for our honeymoon house. Having lived in New York for over a decade, I felt an urge to move away from the chaos of the city.

Every Saturday, from early morning until late afternoon, I booked back-to-back property tours, viewing more than 60 apartments and houses, each one increasing my despair and anxiety. The clock was ticking: before our September wedding and before flying to California, I needed to find us a place to live.

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Still, I did not lose hope. Instead, I let go of my obsession with finding the “perfect” place. Eventually, I found a decent two-bedroom apartment and submitted an application. The very next day, however, the owner requested additional documents and pressured me to provide them immediately—or risk losing the listing to someone else (he even showed me a list of 10+ names waiting in line behind mine, not sure if the list was real).

That same day, while scrambling to gather what was needed for that application, a real estate broker called me about one final listing she wanted me to see. At first, I hesitated. For one thing, I feared losing the first apartment if I didn’t act quickly enough. For another, her previous two listings hadn’t impressed me at all. I doubted her ability to deliver quality options. Still uncertain, I spoke with my fiancée about it. Together we decided to take a chance on this last option with a “If I lose, I lose” mindset.

After a long day at work, I hopped on a bus to see what this so-called “last hope” had to offer. It had been raining since the afternoon. The sky was gray and gloomy. From the bus stop to the location took 20 minutes on foot. Without an umbrella, I arrived completely soaked.

Detail image of Pitter-patter, 2024

As I climbed up the staircase—partially blocked by a baby gate—I noticed a sweet little 15-month-old baby smiling and waving at me from behind it. Despite the humid weather outside, despite all the doubts and worries, the house was cozy and neat. The air inside embraced me warmly—much like that baby’s innocent smile—and welcomed me home. Without hesitation or further questions, I told them I wanted to sign the lease.

I named this artwork “Pitter-Patter”, a sound of blessing that found me on a rainy night. Even now, I vividly remember standing under a tall tree waiting for a cab after finalizing everything. Raindrops slipped through thin branches and fell—forming puddles and streams below—and their gentle sound filled my eardrums with love and comfort from above.

I hope you too can hear those sounds of blessing and find love and rest in whom is eternally promised. Let me end this journal with my favorite bible verse—a verse that carried me through as I created this piece:

Detail image of Pitter-patter, 2024
Detail image of Pitter-patter, 2024

I hope you too can hear those sounds of blessing and find love and rest in whom is eternally promised. Let me end this journal with my favorite bible verse—a verse that carried me through as I created this piece:

···

Isaiah 55:10-13

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
And achieve the purpose which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;


the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field\
will clap their hands.

···

Isaiah 43:1

“But now, thus says the Lord,
who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are mine.”

···

···

Isaiah 55:10-13

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
And achieve the purpose which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

···

Isaiah 43:1

“But now, thus says the Lord,
who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are mine.”

···