《Family Revolution, Disillusionment》
Half a lifetime of ups and downs, long-term depression, Lillian's thoughts became somewhat paranoid.
People fear isolation the most, with no window to vent their grievances. Without support, the soul finds no solace, and daily readiness leads to hallucinations, ultimately deteriorating into illness.
There are often such individuals, strong in dignity, stubborn in character. They bear responsibility for right and wrong, refusing to concede. Lillian fits this type.
Her mother accompanied her all the way, through countless hardships and a long road, showing remorse and guilt towards Lillian, pitying her daughter.
People will eventually grow old with the passage of time. Lillian's father died in 1999, with her mother applying for deferred retirement benefits. Unexpectedly, her mother suffered a stroke in 2000. A series of incidents accelerated Lillian's anxiety and pain. Her mother's disability sparked a major upheaval in the family.
The stroke left her mother partially paralyzed on her left side, losing mobility. Fortunately, her linguistic faculties remained intact, but she required constant care.
Lillian has three older brothers and one younger brother. They have all established their own families and careers. The youngest brother does business and trade in Hong Kong; the eldest lives far away in Kaohsiung; the second brother, divorced and unstable, has no fixed abode; the third brother's wife is strict and domineering, living in their father's house in Taipei.
The mother's stroke triggered a family storm, with everyone finding excuses and no one able to care. Lillian blamed herself for her mother's exhaustion. In Lillian's eyes, filial piety was nothing but a joke.
Amidst arguments, the main issue was who should care for their mother. Responsibility and obligation reveal the cohesiveness of a family member. Despite mental anguish, Lillian remained grateful for her mother's support. Eventually, they decided on full-time care, supplemented by a foreign domestic worker paid from the retirement fund, with children contributing to cover any shortfall, starting with the daughter, Lillian.
The arrival of the mother and the foreign worker transformed the core of this household, altering routines and space, suffocating Lillian physically and mentally. Since her mother's illness, tears flowed frequently, lamenting her misfortunes, her unfilial children, her psychological and physical disabilities, often immersed in sorrow and melancholy.
An elderly person with fixed habits, a severely handicapped son, an incomprehensible foreign worker—Lillian could only adjust her thoughts, change her lifestyle, and seek a larger house.
As for Smith? Still living in government housing, only informed about contributing money for household expenses.
《家庭革命、心灰意冷》
波瀾起伏了半輩子，長期鬱抑，林立蓮的想法有些偏執。
人最怕孤立無門，沒窗口可以訴苦傾聽。沒了依靠，心靈無法寄託，還有每天處於備戰狀態，最後產生幻覺，就已病入膏肓。
往往會有這樣的人，就是自尊心強，風骨倔強。對錯自己擔，不服輸。林立蓮就屬這類型。
母親一路陪伴，千江萬水一瓢飲、一哩路，都表現出對林立蓮的不捨跟愧疚，心疼這個女兒。
人終究會隨著歲月漸漸老去。林立蓮的父親於民國 88 年 (1999 年) 死亡，遞延退撫金由母親請領。天有不測風雲，母親於 89 年 (2000 年) 中風。一連串的事故，加速林立蓮焦慮跟傷痛。母親的不便，帶來家庭大革命。
中風的母親半身不遂，左邊失去靈活度。幸好腦部語言無礙。可是，相對需要一人照顧。
林立蓮有三個哥哥、一個弟弟。大夥都成家立業。小弟在香港經商貿易；大哥住高雄離得遠；二哥離婚自身難保，居無定所；三哥妻管嚴，說話沒話語權，住在父親的房子裡，住居台北市。
母親的中風引發家庭風暴，人人有藉口，誰也無暇看顧。語中帶話，是林立蓮給予母親太勞累所致。尊親孝道在林立蓮眼裡，就是一個笑話
大吵小鬧，問題所在就是母親由誰照料最適合。責任跟義務，可以看出一個家庭成員的向心力。林立蓮在精神煎熬下，跟感恩母親一路輔佐相伴。大家商量結果全權照護，但需配一位外勞幫傭服侍。費用由退輔金支付，不足部分由孩子分攤。先由女兒開始。
母親和外勞進入這家庭，核心改變一切作息跟空間。窒息感擠壓到林立蓮身心俱疲。因為自從母親中風生病，動不動就哭泣和悲嘆自己命苦、子女不孝，心理病跟行動不便而氣餒，常常情緒愁悵、氣氛哀淒。
一個行動不變的老人，一個重度智障的兒子，一個語言不通的外勞，林立蓮唯一能做的，只有思緒調整，改變生活方式，再找大一點房子。
史密斯呢？還是住在國家宿舍，唯一被通知，就是拿錢支付家用開銷。
