Cassiopeia

Sorry about the disappearing act. I will finally continue my quiet obsession of self-expression after this short message:

Grandma was born on July 21, 1925 and passed away on December 26th, 2009.  She was born in Canton, China and moved to Hong Kong before the declaration of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. In 1978 she and her husband, Cheung Chung Yat, moved to San Francisco.  She is survived by 8 children, 21 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved in the best way she could.

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What Granny Taught Me About Living:

1.  Share.  If there’s only one plate of food and 10 people to feed, you make a ton of rice and share that one plate of food.
2. Don’t forget the living for the sake of the dead. My grandmother was devastated when my grandpa passed away and we knew she was dealing with it poorly, but she never dwelled upon her unhappiness. Instead, she held us tighter together.
3. Dare to move. To another country, even.
4. Take a break. Regardless of what conventional wisdom teaches you, I say it’s okay to reenergize.
5. Take time to appreciate the little things in life. It helps those around you deal with you better.  
6. Keep a diary. You’ll quickly realize how much you’ll forget.  
7. Keep reading. Granny sent her children to school by working an extra job when she could’ve done what was expected — sending her children to work instead.
8. Handmade presents make the mundane seem special. Socks make great gifts, especially when they are knit by a loved one.  
9. Capture memories, even if they’re bad ones — they will add humor to your life one day.  
10. Dare to be you. Or like my darling Granny who would willingly let us photograph her with a princess crown on and two coronas in hand.