After a Talk with My Grandmother.

How often do you talk to your grandparents? Once a year? Twice? For many Asian-Americans, it's hard to feel connected to your roots when  most of your family lives on the other side of the world. As a kid, I hated when my school did those family postcard sale events (you know, to win the cool rubber ducks) because I couldn't even ask my grandparents, aunts, and uncles in China to buy postcards. I envied the kids who would have their whole family gathered each Thanksgiving, because not once has my entire family been together.

And I doubt it's a strife that only I've experienced.

For the past few years, my grandparents have lived with me, and it's been something I am more and more grateful for everyday. Our bond has grown so close,  and I truly value the generational gap between us - they have so much valuable insight I don't. 

But their stories are what really capture me, and shape me as a person. I recently sat down with my grandmother to have tea and cake, and she told me her stories as a girl in China. I won't spoil her entire story, but just know that it may make its way into a book one day. Not only do these talks open my eyes to the surreal technological world we live in today, but also to the little things that matter.

I asked before, but how often do you talk to your grandparents? I mean really talk?  

​Not just the: "Oh hi grandma! Happy birthday! Are you well? Bye!"

They are filled with so many experiences and memories and stories, it would be a shame if they were untold. Call your grandparents. Ask them to tell you about their lives, and I'm sure they will tell you with a smile.

​Author: Carina Sun