Have you ever read the book or seen the movie, The Joy Luck Club? I have not read the book but I am going to make it required summer reading for myself.
I saw the movie in another life time, back when I was young, when I knew I wouldn’t be hurt because I had chosen someone who really loved me. Back when in innocence and arrogance I thought I was loved and treasured. I can relate to too many of the sufferings now. I understand the depth of the pain being told. The movie has always stayed in my head, parts of it playing in my memory through out different events in my life or those I love. One of my favorite quotes in the movie was spoken by An-Mei:
“I tell you the story because I was raised the Chinese way. I was taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people’s misery, and to eat my own bitterness. And even though I taught my daughter the opposite, still she came out the same way. Maybe it is because she was born to me and she was born a girl, and I was born to my mother and I was born a girl, all of us like stairs, one step after another, going up, going down, but always going the same way. No, this cannot be, this not knowing what you’re worth, this not begin with you. My mother not know her worth until too late – too late for her, but not for me. Now we will see if not too late for you, hmm?”
It is not to late for me, tonight I remembered my worth.
Go watch or read or both…