Happy Father's Day to the BaBas
Although Father’s Day in Taiwan is August 8th (8/8 ,"baba", sounds similar to father, "bàba"), this coming Sunday is Father’s Day for the US and many other countries throughout the world. So, I'm sending my Bàba a big "Happy Father’s Day!", and want to thank him for the many ways he has helped me grow into the person I am today.
As a child, I was less than pleased about jokingly being referred to as “Roberta” because I looked so much like my father, Robert. But even more than appearance, I take after my father in terms of personality (which is probably why I was sometimes the more challenging child in the household ;) ).
Hanging on a wall in my parents' house is a picture with the words: “There are two gifts we should give our children: one is roots, and the other is wings.” These roots are the senses of tradition, family ties, and knowing where you have come from. The wings are the courage to leave home and go out into the world to create your own path. I'm not sure either of my parents really intentionally used this motto as a guiding principle in their approach to parenthood, but nonetheless, it's these two gifts I'm most grateful for.
Because of his time in the Navy and his former business career hopping on flights weekly for work, my father always instilled an appreciation for getting out and traveling in all of his daughters. He was the one who showed me that you can choose an unfamiliar city, take out a map, jump on a trolley, find a great meal, and suddenly a strange place has turned into a favorite destination, or in my case, a second home. Your comfort zone and world aren't fixed ideas, but rather, only as big as you are willing to explore. Even now that he is retired, my father continues to blow my mind with the places he still wants to explore, the foods he wants to try, and the cultures he wants to experience.
Aside from getting his travel gene, I see more and more how I take after my father in how I approach work. I see his and my restlessness which makes it hard to go to the same place for work 9-5 everyday. I see a work ethic that believes there is value in hard work, and a drive to push yourself to do more than is expected of you--expecting the most out of yourself. My father worked so very hard, along with my mother, to provide the education, opportunities and "wings" that afford me the privilege of living my dream in Taiwan every single day. So much of them and their values are rooted in my heart and are carried with me wherever I go.
On this Father’s Day, I want to thank my dad for the love, the support, the sense of security, and the courage he has given to me. Wishing all of you celebrating this Sunday, a Happy Father’s Day, too!
Keep moving!
xx,
Katie
祝所有的爸爸們父親節快樂！
在台灣，父親節是8月8號，而美國和很多國家是六月的第三個星期天。所以我要祝我爸爸父親節快樂也要跟他說謝謝，因為他讓我成為現在的我。
我小的時候不喜歡別人叫我“Roberta”，因為我爸爸叫“Robert”，就因為我長得很像他！我們不只長得像，我們的個性也像（這是為什麼我跟我爸爸比較容易鬧小彆扭）。
在我家裡有一幅字畫寫著 “There are two gifts we should give our children: one is roots, and the other is wings.” “Roots” 就是父母給你根，讓你知道你從哪裡來，與家人的關係，有著什麼樣的文化跟傳統。“Wings” 就是他們給你的翅膀，幫助你張開雙翼飛翔，找到你的一片天。 以前我爸爸在海軍工作，所以他常常不在美國，也是因為這樣，讓我們更喜愛旅行。他教會我們在一個陌生的地方，怎麼去探索，怎麼去熟悉，他給我的翅膀帶我飛來台灣，並在這裡生活。現在他退休了，不過他還是到處去旅行。 我這麼努力工作也是受到他影響，他的工作精神就是"做得比別人期待的更好"。為了給我們姐妹很好的教育和生活品質，辛苦了大半輩子，因為他，我才能在台灣過著理想的生活。謝謝爸爸，我愛你！也祝全世界的爸爸們父親節快樂！
繼續前進！
愛你的 Katie