Lunar New Year has always brought mixed emotions for me. I look back fondly at big family get-togethers, fun games like 魚蝦蟹 (fish-shrimp-crab), and endless snacks with my cousins. However, I can't ignore the hurtful comments from relatives about my appearance that have stuck with me over the years. This year felt bittersweet as I chose not to engage in the usual celebrations with my children and extended family. It made me reflect on whether it's worth exposing us to hurtful

People flinch when I say how old my kids are, like I’ve got monsters at home. But my kids talk to me. That isn’t luck — it’s intention, born from studying my parents’ mistakes and my own. I made plenty of them when they were little. Their reactions were the mirror that showed me who I didn’t want to be — and where I could choose repair. ✨

Growth isn’t about pretending the hard things didn’t happen. It’s about letting them shape you without dimming your light — a reminder sparked while hosting my daughter’s birthday party and watching kids be so unapologetically themselves.