Be Happy and Smile

By Channtey Heng

Channtey Heng was born into a poor, broken family in a small village in Cambodia. She always had to fight barriers and discrimination. When she was two years old she was diagnosed with polio in her right leg and now her eyesight is failing.

This was around the time that her father left them for another woman, shirking his responsibilities to his family. Her mother was very hurt and had to work immensely hard to look after three children with disabilities as a sole parent.

As she grew up, she noticed how often her mother would cry. Her two brothers also had different impairments and they lived in a small house with nothing to eat some days. She overcame her anger and set about changing her family's situation.

Later in life, she was able to embark on a writing career after gaining much life experience. This led to the book you have before you.

Be Happy and Smile is a series of short stories, beautiful in their simplicity and honesty. They are written to encourage the reader to think deeply about what really matters in life to bring true satisfaction.

When you read these stories, not just once but maybe a few times, you are sure to find a smile spread across your face and the faces of those you are reading to.

Finding inner happiness and peace is something that has become very difficult in this day and age. May Channtey's stories help you achieve it!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Texianer Verlag
• Release date: Jan 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005882112

Channtey Heng

Channtey HengEver since I was born into a poor, broken family in a small village in Cambodia, I have always needed to fight barriers and discrimination. When I was two years old I was diagnosed with polio in my right leg. This was around the time that my father left us for another woman, shirking his responsibilities to his family. My mother was very hurt, and had to work immensely hard to look after 3 children with disabilities as a sole parent.As I grew up, I noticed how often my mother would cry. My two brothers also had different impairments, and we lived in a small house with nothing to eat some days. This all made me very sad, and I believe our circumstances encouraged me to stand up to the hurt and anger. I set an intention to changing my family situation.When I was ten years old, I left my family to live on my auntie’s house because it was closer to my school. I resolved to study hard, and I helped my aunt with the farming. Since that time, I have never came back to live with my family (although to this day I still see them often).I moved from one place to another following my studying. I sometimes stayed in a small room on the ground and looking for a job. I was a cleaner while I couldn’t find a good job to do because no one recruited people with disabilities.When I was 18 years old in starting my bachelor degree, my eyesight began to degenerate. I was not able to read the whiteboard or books, and as there were no assistive devices and accessible infrastructure, I needed to ask my friends to read things to me.Though I was losing more and more of my eyesight, making studying and traveling quite challenging, I never gave up my study. I obtained my Master degree, all the while moving from volunteer to staff to advisor at an international organization which deals with disability programs and awareness. I proudly supported my family and made the better living situation. By that time, I started to use a screen reader, and I was forced to learn and work using audio and aural techniques. I also managed to learn to write and speak fluent English while I was going blind.Though I had achieved success in my studies and career, I continued to encounter barriers as a result of my disabilities – I could not enjoy the things most people take for granted, especially when it comes to relationships and intimacy. It always felt as though no one accepted me. At times while I was living alone in the city, I was so sad at the prospect of losing my eyesight, and the constant challenges were an overwhelming reminder of this. But I would tell myself, ‘as long as I am still alive in this world, I have hope! I must be happy and smile! I am the leader of the family, I need to find an income for my family in the village who are depending on me.’ I promised myself that I must live for them, and for myself. I vowed to overcome the obstacles and barriers, and teach people how to think positively towards people with disabilities.My purpose is to motivate all people with disabilities, and I urge them to please live with positive thinking and see your ability better than your disability. And always remember: no one is perfect in this world, and you are the only one who can change your life!

Book preview

Preface

Be Happy and Smile is the first storybook I have written in my lifetime. Initially, it was weird to me—I didn’t originally expect to write this entire book for publication.

Frankly, I started the first story because it was homework for my English language studies. It was when I got to know a kind person through Facebook (Thomas Kay) after meeting online and becoming friends. I found him to be a very nice person so I asked him to be my English teacher and he willingly agreed. Consequently, he asked me to write a story as part of my homework.

I continued writing. Some of it was for homework or some just because I wanted to write. I found that the more I wrote these stories, the more I was motivated to go on. After I had written quite a number, I had the idea to combine all the stories into a book and have it published for others to enjoy. In the meantime, my beloved teacher was also helpful in editing it. At the same time, I have had the idea of promoting disability awareness and to let people discover the abilities of persons with disabilities.

As I recall each story, I realize that they were not easy to write. Honestly, before writing each and every one, I put a great deal of thought into the theme and the plot, and finally each story, I believe, is well written.

I would like to share something with you. I was born with some impediments but I have never felt upset about it. Certainly, similar to most people who are impaired or different, I have suffered discrimination and ridicule from others. While it often hurt me, this feeling encouraged me to stand tall and prove them wrong. I hopefully will be able to demonstrate to them that there is nothing wrong with me. These differences are the qualities that make us human.

Like many people have said, you will find your opportunity in your challenges. I found advantages in living within my impediments. I noticed that they had enabled me to grow up correctly with humility and even to get more success in my life. So, I don’t see it as a mistake that I was born with such issues but rather, if I would let them become a barrier to my achievements in life, then it would be a real mistake.

While writing these tales, I have discovered some very positive thoughts. I must be confident to do things properly and I needed to remove all my doubt and concern from my perception.

Therefore, when I wrote, I opened my heart with a positive attitude and beliefs, feeling that I was smiling in my soul. Then, it would put me in the perfect frame of mind and capability to write each story.

Dear reader, it is now your turn. Before reading these stories, I would also like you to do your best to fill your mind with positive thoughts and beliefs and to especially wear happy smiles upon your faces. It is not necessary to smile like a Cheshire Cat but you should feel that you are smiling in your heart and soul. And sure enough, when you are having these kinds of positive thoughts—Be Happy and Smile—your heart and mind will be opening up the right way to read this book. If you do so, I believe, you will discover special treasures in each story. Whether you understand those things or not, I hope you will find them within yourself. The power is inside everyone, I hope you will be able to use it to