Four Little Words
All the promised fortune in the world, fame in the universe, the pain and joy of seeing my book through publication, and it comes down to four little words.
I called my parents the other day, wishing them a Happy Chinese New Year, and I told them about my books being in the book stores, and I'd be doing a book signing some time soon. Before I clicked off, my mom whispered to me: "So proud of you."
I put down the phone. For a second, nothing registered. Then it hit me. Those four little words. So rare, so precious, so special. And I've earned them.
"So proud of you."
I guess I never truly understood the impact of this whole journey until now, as I realize that I have proven to my parents, when they're still alive, that dreams do come true. My parents' dreams have been squashed and forsaken so many times in the past that sometimes I don't even know if they believe in dreams anymore. They've always been supportive, but they've also always been fearful of broken dreams and promises. In my heart, I said to myself that I would prevail, that I would make this dream come true. Not just for myself, but for them as well. To make them believe again, that dreams do come true.
The road is still a long one -- so many things to learn, so many journeys to take, so many places to go. But I can now say that holding something as tangible as a book with my name on it, and something as intangible as ideas and imagination, is incredible. It truly is. It's like a baby's first step -- it might be small, wobbly, weak, and there will be many, many footsteps to follow -- but the single event is monumental.
I promise myself that I would never trivialize this achievement, no matter how insignificant I think of it sometimes.
"So proud of you."
Mean a world to me.
Category: Ray, Writing, Fiction, The Pacific Between
I called my parents the other day, wishing them a Happy Chinese New Year, and I told them about my books being in the book stores, and I'd be doing a book signing some time soon. Before I clicked off, my mom whispered to me: "So proud of you."
I put down the phone. For a second, nothing registered. Then it hit me. Those four little words. So rare, so precious, so special. And I've earned them.
"So proud of you."
I guess I never truly understood the impact of this whole journey until now, as I realize that I have proven to my parents, when they're still alive, that dreams do come true. My parents' dreams have been squashed and forsaken so many times in the past that sometimes I don't even know if they believe in dreams anymore. They've always been supportive, but they've also always been fearful of broken dreams and promises. In my heart, I said to myself that I would prevail, that I would make this dream come true. Not just for myself, but for them as well. To make them believe again, that dreams do come true.
The road is still a long one -- so many things to learn, so many journeys to take, so many places to go. But I can now say that holding something as tangible as a book with my name on it, and something as intangible as ideas and imagination, is incredible. It truly is. It's like a baby's first step -- it might be small, wobbly, weak, and there will be many, many footsteps to follow -- but the single event is monumental.
I promise myself that I would never trivialize this achievement, no matter how insignificant I think of it sometimes.
"So proud of you."
Mean a world to me.
Category: Ray, Writing, Fiction, The Pacific Between
Comments
Beautiful!