Growing up with a parent like her sure was difficult and back-breaking, but she was still a good person and she passed her values onto me.   Whenever my mom has a goal, she would always be determined to achieve that goal, no matter what. She works hard for what she wants. She was brave.  She was just the stereotypical Asian mom. Sometimes, I even compared her to that one teacher that no one liked because of how boring and strict they were.  She was very strict and she knew that she was. She was always strong. She was also very demanding, at least that was what I thought. She could be just as demanding as that cranky boss who would always get frustrated at the most minor of inconveniences.  Yet, at times, she was as caring as any other mother. Her strong qualities, however, were necessary for dealing with someone with the likes of me.

My parents were like Yin and Yang; they were complete opposites.  Yet, one wouldn’t be able to exist without the other. My mother was always dead-serious, hot-headed, and most of all, boring.  She was the type of person who would always be on their phone at a party. It wasn’t because she was awkward and hated parties, but it was because her social life was as disappointing as those chip bags that are full with air and no chips.  No one liked either, and in fact, people loved the exact opposite. My father was just that. My father was the class clown with everyone’s attention. He was like the “Pringles” of chips and he always had the most to offer. He would be the one guy at the party that was friends with everyone.  My father was attentive, lively, and talkative, very unlike my mother.  Then, they met each other.  Their differing personalities somehow attracted each other, just like how opposing poles of a magnet rush to each other when you put them near each other.  They always worked together, and somehow, they did great.

One thing that I do know about my mother was that her beliefs were a strong influence on her and actions.  Her values determined her actions. She strongly believed that good people come from a background of discipline and strength.  Therefore, she always disciplined me. Her beliefs in discipline and punishment were reflected on me, as she would always get mad at me for the littlest things.  When I was younger, I remember playing with sand, yet for some odd reason she would find a way to yell at me for building sand castles. Her beliefs played a key role in raising me, and growing up, I always viewed her as the typical strict mother.  Her restricting behavior helped me and I later realized that without her and her controlling behavior, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.