Role Models

I called my parents this morning to see what they were upto. They were in a great mood because apparently, they had just come back from church -- not their regular church, but the neighborhood black church near their beauty supply store.

Ever since opening their store a few years ago, they have wanted to contribute back to the community as soon as things started settling financially. No one suggested this, no one pressured them to want to do so, but they have just wanted to. They have felt blessed and felt that it is now the time, so my parents visited a local black church today to attend service with the locals and also to donate some student scholarship money to the church. My dad told me that they had a great time there, and they got up and "danced" and gave praise along with the others in the church! They must have been the only asian folk there, in this all black church. I'm so proud of my parents!

First of all, my parents got guts like none other. Um, OK, they went to an all black church. That says alot. After nearly twenty years in the U.S., my parents understand and speak English fine - they get by quite well -- although they are not what some would say totally fluent, especially my father. But they, especially my father, have never been ones to be afraid to do things, to venture out, to start and create. They have never really let the language be a barrier. My dad is never afraid to accost someone even though he knows that the other may not understand him. When I was younger, I used to get sometimes frustrated or embarrased by this, but that was I think for a short time.... I soon began to look at these situations with humor and understood that it takes guts and certain personality traits to be able to do what he does. How many people can and are willing to do all that in a foreign country? Not many. I have been proud and am still so proud of my parents for a long time. They have done so much when they started out with nothing -- even negative. They have taught me to take chances and that life brings these chances... and to watch out for them and to know when they are there...

The other thing is that my parents are so giving, when they themselves do not have much. I mean, I see many successful people who never look back at the community whose market they share. It's not that I can or will crticize these people. However, it does give me something to compare and lets me realize why my parents are so set apart from the rest. The other thing is that alot of Korean folks do donate, but often as offerings back to their own church. My parents regularly do this too, but they have felt the importance to look around. They do not have much, but they feel that they have enough to start contributing back to the community. I hope that God blesses them tenfold for their good hearts.

Obviously, I respect my parents very much and I am so proud of them. I really hope to live like them, with eyes forward and with heart grounded.