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| My mom and my aunts |
I was sorting my cd collection yesterday (well it's actually my parents' which I inherited) and came across cds of Chinese pop music. Listening to them took me back to a different place and time...to my childhood in Singapore where I was surrounded by the remarkable women who have loved me and shaped me. Chinese pop music was always in the background whenever they gathered at my grandmother's, although two of my aunts would probably prefer the Bee Gees to Teresa Teng!
My mother, my grandmother, my four aunts were exceptional women in their own rights; their very different dispositions and their big hearts have contributed to the person I am today. They have left their indelible marks of fierce love, triumph over adversity, generosity, kindness, faithfulness, and determination on the next generation. I didn't have to look far for women to emulate, each of these women has inhabited my orbit since infancy, saturating it with their loving presence, delectable food, endless conversation, and deep affection. When I left Singapore to study in the United States, every one of them was at Changi Airport to see me off, their eyes brimming with tears. I departed carrying with me their last-minute gifts and advice, their hopes and pride in me, and above all their steadfast love. Their sentiments remain with me to this day.
I dedicate this all-time favorite song, The Moon Represents My Heart by Teresa Teng, to my remarkable grandmother, mom, and aunts. They would be tickled pink to know that for her wedding in Chicago, my daughter not only chose to have a tea ceremony but this very song to accompany the festivity. Perhaps their influence has not only molded me but has come to shape the next generation as well!
