Monday, January 31, 2011

Project 52: Week 4 - Soothing Repetition

When I was young, about 8 years old, I was playing outside with a friend and we found this cut up tree trunk in this area close to where our apartment was.  I decided to stand on it like a logger and try to balance myself for fun!  Bad idea!  I fell, face flat, onto the grass with my right arm under me.  I heard three loud cracks and I went home crying.  For days I couldn't move my right arm and now that I look back, I probably half broken it.  Because even to this day, I can't extend my right arm full straight.  It's hardly noticeable, but if I compare my left vs. my right, the right one is a little bent.

So what does this have to do with soothing repetition?  At the time this accident happened, my family and I had just moved to the United States.  We were poor...I mean poor!  My dad was a student and my mom worked at Chinese restaurants.  We had no insurance.  My mom knew my arm wasn't fully broken, so each night, after I bathed or showered, she'd spend hours just massaging my arm.  She would make me extend it, and she'd massage it with her hands..up and down my arm...repeatedly.  Looking back now, my mom often told me she didn't know what she was thinking.  And knowing what she know now, she probably should have taken me to the hospital.  But all of us didn't know anything at the time!  Besides, I tell her my arm work perfectly now.  No harm done! 



These are my mom's hands.  In addition to massaging my arm, these hands are a comfort to me.  She helped me through everything when I was a kid.  She carried me on crowded buses in China as a baby, she washed my clothes all by hand when we didn't have a washer and dryer, she cooked all of our meals growing up.  In 2nd grade in the US, I didn't realize my classroom had a pencil sharpener, so I brought my pencils home every other day for her to shapen them with a knife.  Even now as a grown up adult, her hands soothes me.  Like the night before I got married, I stayed with my parents, she ran her hands through my hair when we were talking about how I was styling it the next day.  Something small like that is soothing, comforting, and unforgettable.

14 comments:

  1. thank you for sharing your sweet story! it's nice to read something good about our asian mothers after all the crazy stuff in the press lately about the tiger mother book (google if you don't know what i'm talking about!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. WHat a touching post...your mom sounds like a very special lady! =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Moms are the best! Thanks for sharing this sweet story about your Mother. I really enjoyed reading it. It makes me want to call my mom right now and tell her Thank you for everything.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kristin - Thank you!

    Angela - I know right? My mom was definitely not a tiger mom by any means but she was sometimes strict. I always knew it was for my own good though and she did everything right with me.

    Jenni - Aww yes, she is a very special lady. I love her to pieces!

    Lorraine - Oh I hope you do call her tomorrow! In case she's sleeping. Sometimes moms need that no reason phone call to just have someone tell her they love her.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cindi, this is such a beautiful post, you almost had me in tears. Nothing beats a mother's love. You're one lucky duck to have such an awesome mom.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lisa - Yes I am, I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful mom. I don't tell her enough how lucky I am!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Tear! I swear I can't hear about the love people have for their parents without getting emotional! Very sweet post, Cindi.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful, sentimental post Cindi. Family is so important and your mom is such a kind soul. Now that i am married, makes me realise how much my own mother made sacrifices to provide a me and my siblings with a better life.

    ReplyDelete
  9. what a lovely tribute to your mom. I love this post. the picture is so magical, too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful photo! The story of your Mom sharpening your pencils every night with a knife fills my heart with joy.

    There is no rule book for parenting. We all figure it out as we go. I often hope that I am doing it right. Clearly, your parents did an amazing job:)

    ReplyDelete
  11. This post brought tears to my eyes. It makes me miss my mommy too! Thank goodness Chinese New Year is coming up soon and that means family time!

    Also, Cindi, thanks for the comment on my blog about accounting internships. I have a few friends in Beta Alpha Psi, but I'm a junior and I'm not sure if it's a good time to rush anymore. I will, however, be looking into the big businesses in my area (KPMG, Boeing, I'm sure there are others) to see what opportunities they have. I'll also talk with counselors more often. I really appreciate your detailed answer with practical advice!

    <3

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cindi, I saw you just stopped by my blog and you missed my CNY wishes to you on an older post. So I'm wishing you here - Gong Hey Fat Choy!!! Here's to a happy and prosperous new year and looking forward to plenty more bokehlicious pix on your blog!!! How are you gonna ring in the year of the Rabbit? hee-hee, now that you're married, you're gonna have to hand out ang pows. Do you have plenty of nieces and nephews? I do and I go broke handing em out when I'm back home, lol. But I only go back once every 2 years so it's not too bad.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jen - I know! I love my mom so much. She's the best...in my mind of course. :)

    Pamela - My mom's hand looks so young doesn't it?

    Courtnee - What? YOu didn't think I was dumb for not knowing what a pencil sharpener look like? haha.

    Aki - Ooh good luck with your job search. If you're a junior, that's a perfect time to start looking for internships. Even if you need to delay your school for half a year because you need to work, do it! It'll be well worth it.

    Lisa - Aww you're so sweet for coming by and wishing me a happy new year. I don't have any nieces and nephews in the US! Haha isn't that amazing??? I also haven't gotten any red envelopes for ages! I think since some time in college. Haha. But it's ok...my parents don't need to give anything to me.

    ReplyDelete