WHO YOU ARE MATTERS

Who You Are Matters

Many people are facing identity crisis these days, including myself. With various distractions around us in life, it is often hard to find out who we really are, or what really matters to us. As a result, getting to know a person can be a long and gradual process. I hope this short blog of mine could provide you some insights into my life and my personality. 

I was born in a small port city called Ningbo in southeast China. One good thing about growing up by the sea is I get to taste different kinds of seafood all year round. My favorite is the freshwater crabs in the late autumn. Mom would often buy a whole bucket of freshly-caught crabs from the market and steam them on the stove. In the night, my family would sit around the table and share this whole bucket of happiness. Sweet memories like this always bring me a strong sense of belongings to Ningbo. And makes this small town the only place on earth that I would identify as home.

I consider myself as an adventurer because I am always seeking for excitements from new places. However, I am also a drifter because I never have a clear destination in mind. I always follow my heart and go wherever life takes me. As a senior, I am applying to graduate schools around the country and hopefully, I shall know my next temporary stop by mid-March.

I used to be a rebellious child growing up because I always had different opinions with my parents. But what I like about my parents is that they are extremely open-minded and supportive. Instead of planning out for me, they always allow me to make my own decisions about life. What I dislike about my parents is that we never have too much quality time spent as a family. My father has to work overtime frequently so he was not around too much when I was young.

Growing up in China brings strong peer pressure growing up and I used to have high expectations for myself like attending good schools and having a successful career. Later, I realized that the goal in my life has become the pursuit of happiness - to live a simple and happy life for myself. I believe that is the expectation from ourselves and the others are both important to us because human beings are social creatures and it is the connections with others that makes us significant.

I always find my father as a inspiring figure in my life. He was born in a poor village in North China, but he worked hard to change his family’s situation by becoming the first person going to college in the village. My father is also a driven person with strong will power. He started his own company at the age of thirty and continues the hard work even though he could have retired for two years ago. His perseverance and determination have become the source of  power that encourages me to live life with passion and strive to realize my dreams.

I feel connected with beluga whale in the Arctic. The first time I saw a beluga whale is at the San Deigo sea world. I was instantly attracted by this wonderful white creature because of the look of joy on her face. Belugas are  also extremely sociable animals and they are constantly seeking for friends to connect to. I want to be like a beluga whale, swimming freely in the ocean and always exploring something new.

When I was young, my family has a small Ginkgo tree in the yard. I remembered that the truck of the Ginkgo is so thin that I could shake it with my hand. As I grow older, the Ginkgo tree grows with me. I always feel connected to this particular tree because we are going through the same phase of life over time. When I went back home last year, the Ginkgo tree has become so tall and strong that it is almost higher than the roofs now.The thriving of the Ginkgo tree resembles me entering my adulthood time, and I am looking forward to experiencing more story with her in the future.