My previous post panicked my parents.
I didn’t mean to, I was just relating an incident about a panic attack I had at work some time ago.
Since I don’t normally write about personal stuff, so dad and mum got really concerned and reached out to ask what happened.
I speak to them quite regularly anyway, so they wondered if something catastrophic happened since we last spoke.
I love my parents.
Us ‘chinese people’ aren’t as demonstrative or tactile as the westerners.
“Have you eaten yet?”
“You look a bit fat/skinny/grey/old/weary/wrinkly – are you ok?”
It took me years to realise that a lot of the “nagging” and “criticizing” was their way of demonstrating how important I was to them.
I live abroad and go home every 1-2 years, and Mum would say, “You’ve put on weight haven’t you?” And in the very next breath, she would make me my favourite dish.
Parenting is hard, and I only began to appreciate how difficult a task it is when my little ninjas came along.
We were supposed to fly home in August, but that didn’t happen because Covid.
The last time I hugged them was last year.
I hope it won’t be soon before I can hug them again.
If you are able to, call and tell your family you love them.
If you can, hug them.
There is no time like the present.
#familyiseverything