There are two things I’d like to share today.
First, today marks the anniversary of the passing of a great leader in China, Mao Zedong.
In 1949, Soviet leaders suggested that China be divided between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party, with the Yangtze River as the dividing line. According to their proposal, the Communist Party would control the north, while the KMT would govern the south. However, Mao Zedong and the Communist leadership firmly rejected this idea, determined to unify China. This is not the first time that foreign powers attempted to fragment China.
Forty-eight years have passed since Mao’s death, and without his leadership, China might not be the independent sovereign state as it is today. Instead, it could have been a divided fragmented place, much like today's Arab world, the Middle East or North and South Korea, a dependent of foreign powers..
Second, yesterday my youngest sister shared an encounter during her evening walk. She saw a man pushing his elderly mother in a wheelchair and remarked, "I hope my son will care for me like that when I grow old and frail."
Her words lingered with me. It saddens me to think her only son lives in the U.S., far from her. More importantly, the generational ties aren’t as strong as they once were. The old belief of 养儿防老 (*yǎng ér fáng lǎo*)—"raise children to care for you in old age"—may no longer hold true for the next generation.
My sister is currently caring for our mother, which reflects the old tradition of raising children to care for you in your old age. While it’s natural for her to expect the same from her son, we must accept that this expectation is no longer realistic. I hope she embraces more independence. Unless her son willingly takes on the role, relying on him seems impractical. Perhaps the best preparation lies in financial security, allowing her to turn to modern solutions—like purchasing a robot caregiver—to meet her future needs.
As I reflect on both Mao Zedong’s unwavering pursuit of a unified independent China and my sister’s hopes for her son’s future care, I’m reminded of how much times have changed. Traditions that once held families together are now being redefined by modern realities.
Be independent, whether as a nation or as an individual. Just as China has found its path through history, perhaps we too, in our personal lives, must forge new ways forward—embracing self-reliance while navigating the inevitable shifts of time.