My parents came to America, “the land of opportunity,” with nothing in their pockets to start a new and better life for themselves and their children. They worked hard day and night, 365 days a year, to make ends meet and to get to where we are today. To this day, they are still working just as hard for our futures. I am fortunate. I have a roof over my head, food to nourish my body and an opportunity to get my education at a prestigious university. I can live my life as a typical teenager, shopping for clothes and other “necessities,” hanging out with my friends and sleeping until noon the next day. However, I wouldn’t agree that I have a life easier than that of my parents.
I am a second-generation Asian American born and raised in a traditional Asian household, and am the eldest of two younger sisters and among my first cousins. As you can probably imagine, life can get pretty tough when you have to meet everyone’s expectations and be a perfect role model for others to follow. My parents’ dreams were my dreams and their happiness was my happiness. I didn’t want to take what they gave me for granted so I thought it was only right for me to help make their dreams a reality.
I did everything I could to give them the best of me. Just like any other typical Asian, I had my nose stuck in my books and studied hard to do well in my classes. I got good grades and gained my parents’ favor, but it wasn’t enough to keep them satisfied for very long. During one family dinner, my uncle announced his good news about his gifted 11-year old son’s acceptance to the Julliard School. He excitedly pulled up videos of his son playing pieces from Chopin and showed it to my dad. My dad’s face lit up after listening to one piece. Seeing him so happy and proud of what my cousin achieved made my heart sink into a bottomless pit. From that moment on, I knew everything was going to change, including my relationship with my dad.
On most nights, I would hear my dad silently playing my cousin’s piano pieces in his room to sleep. His favorite was Nocturne in E-flat major by Chopin. I know this because he would always ask my cousin to play it during every family gathering. It was hard for me to communicate with him, to want to improve and to play in front of my dad since then. I felt that no matter how much I practiced, I was never going to be able to top what my cousin already had. After sharing these thoughts with him repeatedly for several years, things got better. Everything is still not the way it was before, but it’s progress.
I believe that we all live imperfect lives. My story is just one example, but I hope that everyone knows they are never alone.