I write to process, to grieve, and to heal. I write to build bridges across intergenerational conflicts and cultural differences. Whenever someone tells me they empathize with what I’m saying, I get excited because it’s like “Oh! I have community!” But then I realize “Oh…It’s because of our collected trauma.”
For much of my life, it felt like it was just my mom and me against the world. With the privilege of being the first born of an AAPI immigrant, there’s a huge cultural expectation that you’ll take care of the family, including sharing the weight of domestic abuse among others.
I ruminate frequently about relationships between immigrant parents and their offspring. Miscommunication, culture clashes, and generational conflicts can often mire what ought to be a simple conversation.
In my essay “Chamomile Tea” published by the online magazine “You Might Need to Hear This,” I write about how I was thrown for a loop after my mother shared she was tired of her medications, of their limitations and how that makes her feel. I also write about my own ongoing efforts in setting healthy boundaries and reacting with compassion.
Wishing everyone a great weekend!
Steph ❤
Link to essay: here
https://www.youmightneedtohearthis.com/stories/chamomile-tea
Stephwaxpoetic 