When You Realize You've Turned Into Your Parents

Newsletter #11

Say Yes!

You know how people often say you turn into your parents? When you’re young, you think, yeah right. And then there comes a time when you—gasp—hear it for the first time. Oh my gosh, I sound just like my mother. It happens. To all of us.

Today I’ve been thinking about the underlying life lessons I have learned from my mom. Never outright said in the form of a lesson, because she is a very quiet introvert (ahem, hello, yes I am very much like her in that way) and her words are few and far between. But in her choices and actions.

Growing up, my mom traveled quite a bit, and often with different groups of friends who did all the planning to visit places like Egypt, Israel, and Poland. I’ve been fortunate to join her on some of these trips to Australia and resort hopping in the Philippines. I never really thought about her travel buddies, besides the fact that they are bright, positive people who are fun to be around.

Recently, though, we had a conversation and I learned that she met all these friends through her work. She and my dad owned a store for decades, and her customers often extended an invitation to visit them in the Philippines where most of them lived. SHE DID. A-ha! The lesson. My mom said every time she went back to her homeland, she called them—they ate at restaurants, shopped, and eventually, included her in their travel plans. Most people, she told me, would politely take their phone numbers and never use it. Not her. And because she did, she has gotten to see more sites around the world than you can believe.

Opportunities arise all around us. Often they may feel scary because the prospect is out of our norm. But if you say YES when they present themselves, you open your life to adventure and even more possibilities. This is one of her greatest lessons.

So back in 2023 when I missed the registration for the Highlights Foundation Asian American In-Community retreat because it filled up so fast, I put myself on the wait list. And completely forgot about it, even though visiting Highlights was on my bucket list. Then, a couple weeks ago, I received an email for an invitation to join the retreat—a spot had opened up. Just like my mom would do, I said YES. Now something on my bucket list will soon be coming true. Thanks for the lesson, Mom.

Over the years I have come to realize and appreciate these lessons more and more, especially when I notice the way other people don’t take action when opportunities arise. For me, these quick decisions contradict my methodical nature, but I am getting better at saying YES to anything that pushes me toward my dreams. For that, I am grateful that I’m turning into my parents.

What are some of your most meaningful life lessons? Or share that (horrifying) moment when you realized you’re turning into your parents!

2022 Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Book Report: AMAH FARAWAY

Written by Margaret Chiu Greanias

Illustrated by Tracy Subisak

In AMAH FARAWAY we journey with Kylie and her mama to Taiwan, where they tour and adventure with Amah, her grandmother. Even though Kylie and Amah video chat weekly, Kylie’s nerves and shyness overtake her when she first arrives. Margaret’s words so seamlessly marry Tracy’s art to show Kylie’s uncertainty as exuberant Amah brings her to Taipei 101, Da’an Forest Park, and the night market. Only with time does Kylie’s heart begin to warm while at Wulai Hot Spring, and then Kylie’s enthusiasm matches Amah’s. The tension in this book peaks right at the middle, where the words are brilliantly repeated in reverse order in the second half of the book: a reverso poetry format. With different punctuation, phrasing, and story context, the exact same words take on a whole new meaning. It is incredible how Margaret achieved this reverso poem feat while creating a seamless story written so well that you almost don’t notice the repeated words—how incredibly clever! The art matches the contrasting moods of these two halves, including words in two languages on the end papers and throughout the book. Kylie’s enjoyment of her trip to Taiwan makes me want to visit there too, and the endearing relationship between Kylie and Amah is so heartwarming, I can’t help but smile every time I read this book.

Themes: intergenerations, culture, travel, memories, familial love

Discussion Ideas:

1. How did Kylie feel about traveling to Taiwan and what made her change by the end of the book?

2. Find phrases with the same words from the first and last half of the book, and explain how the punctuation and story context changes the meaning of the same words.

Mentor Text For:

• writing about memories / memoir

• reverso poetry format

• character change

• story elements and plot

Link to Teacher Resources: Grades 1-3 Teacher's Guide, Grades 4-12 Teacher’s Guide

Buy the book!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Tracy shows that Amah is quite the energetic and youthful grandma, leading the way around Taiwan’s sites. You can feel her enthusiasm as Kylie’s personal tour guide.

Weekly Progress Report

This is a section for “stuff I did” that relates to my writing career. I believe in celebrating all wins, big and small alike.

• watched a webinar replay about Creating a Market Analysis

• held a 2-day mini-writing retreat with a writing friend

• continued writing a first draft of a biography, which I realized is not the story, but a pseudo Wikipedia page simply to get info onto the page (mindset shift!)

• edited some lines in a manuscript to amp up the emotion (I hope)

• critiqued 5 picture book stories

• met with my online critique group and shared lots of updates

• attended the book launch of WE WHO PRODUCE PEARLS written by Joanna Ho and illustrated by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya

• surpassed 100 subscribers to this newsletter, “A Perpetual Work in Progress” (many THANKS for your support!!)

Sending you courage and grace in all you choose to do,

Susan