My mother left China not realizing that China would shut its doors and she was blocked from ever returning. When her father became sick, she wanted to visit him but she was afraid that if she went into the country she would not be allowed to leave. She lost both her parents without ever seeing them again.

When my son returned home from a work assignment overseas, all I could think of was the freedom he had to come and go. He was able to come home and check on his family. My mother’s grandson has opportunities she never dreamed of. She always imagined she would have grandchildren one day. I just don’t think she ever envisioned them the way they turned out.

My prayer is that God gives her a glimpse from heaven. And then what touches my heart is to know that the success in her family today is the result of her sacrifice and what she sowed into my life in my formative years. She never went past a third-grade education but she taught me how to be excellent academically. She was the one who prepared me so I was able to win a full scholarship to an American University. I owe my education to what she instilled in me. And because I went to college, I encouraged my children to do the same. They entered their adult lives prepared with academic credentials. The love for education was instilled in me by my mother which then got passed down to my sons.

What positive thing did your mother pass down to you that you now pass down to the next generation?