My sister and I recently talked about our father, who passed away before turning 58. There was a heavy cloud of sadness during our conversation. Someone once mentioned that I look more and more like my father, but we don't know how our father would have looked in his 60s or beyond.
We have been striving to live healthily and longer than he did. Now, all three of us siblings have reached age 60, but none of us has achieved the career heights that our father reached in his short 57 years.
It is amazing that a teenager boy walked out of his mountainous village and accomplished so much in his lifetime? Our father must have had something extraordinary in him that his children don't have. My sister said, "It is said that one family is blessed with one outstanding person once in a while."
My father lived through some special years in Chinese history. Each generation has its own unique challenges. My father met the challenges of his generation, and now, with his legacy guiding and motivating us, we are trying to meet the challenges of our era, even if we might not reach the same career heights he did.
My sister and I talked about how our father self-taught himself many subjects through reading and his passion for learning. Discussing this serves as a source of inspiration for us to pursue lifelong learning and strive for excellence in our own lives.
We are also aware that whatever we do today, we are creating a legacy for the next generation. Though we may not match the accomplishments of our father, we can still leave a unique legacy, just as he did.
Reflecting on our father's life and achievements helps us appreciate his fine qualities and the importance of perseverance, courage, learning and resilience. His legacy continues to guide us when we face our own trials and triumphs in life.
As we navigate our own journey, we honor his memory by striving to meet our challenges and keep generating value in our own way, ensuring that the good qualities he instilled in us endure for future generations.