History

I've never bothered finding out how my ancestors ended up in this country. today, without asking, i caught a glimpse of that part of me that i didn't know.

During the conversation between my mom and two aunts today, i found out that my maternal ancestors came from a lineage of governors and landlords in China. the ancestral two-storey huge house is still standing in the village where we came from. the Cultural Revolution, as it did to others, took away our wealth and possessions and my maternal great great-grandmother had to be imprisoned resulting in deterioration in health.

The uncertainty forced my great-grandmother to move the family to Malaya (currently known as Malaysia). Life hadn't been easy either on the new land but the family of 11survived. every children received their formal education; my grandparents managed to own a home in a small town in Pahang; and lived long enough to see their grandchildren.

As i listened to the ladies, i realised that i have much to be grateful for. if not for the courage of my great-grandmother to migrate, i wouldn't be living here. if not for the persistence of my grandparents to make a living, i wouldn't be able to go to school and have an education. if not for my parents' dedication, i wouldn't be able to grow up healthily and earn my own living. life hasn't been easy for them. but because of their sacrifices and hard work, i am who i am today.

It's so easy sometimes to forget where we came from and to ferociously run towards the future. but our history is important because it tells us who we are and what we are able to achieve. i'm proud to know that i have such strong lineage before me. not so much that they were powerful materialistically but they were strong in character. they pursued and overcame some of the most difficult challenges in their life. and because they have set an example, i too can do the same :)