For parents, it is what you did yourself and what you have achieved that determines what you can bring to your child.

My mom would feel it very unfair that I think my father played a larger role in my life, since she is the one who fed us (me, my brother, and my father), washed our clothes, and nagged us about everything. Importantly, she put all hearts on us. However, sometimes it is not the time and energy that determines your impact, especially for parents. It is what you did yourself and what you have achieved that determines what you can bring to your child.

My father taught me poems since I was so young that I couldn’t even understand the meanings. I can easily recite and love them. He bought books for me. There was one time when I was 6 or 7 he went to the capital city of our region for work, and he brought me two tiny books about poetry from the ancient Tang and Song Dynasty. I was so excited. I started to learn those poems myself afterwards.

My father is a wise man. He never pays attention to my study. Actually, he is sometimes not quite sure which school I am in. However, he bought me Maupassant’s short story collections, he explained The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain and how he loves that story, the Prophet by Gibran, and many other inspiring books. Amazingly, you can discuss your thoughts with him, because he has read every one of them, and he has many good insights.