Remembering the Legacy

July 6th, 2009 by Brian Farn

Woman Sitting

Woman Sitting

A recent vacation to China brought us face to face with a modern version of our heritage. The culture shock was palpable, especially for those of us who were uninitiated and unprepared. Such views as the throngs of people on every city block, the mix of old and modern, and the wealth of new construction conveyed a sense of dynamism, growth, and survival. Our daily ten course meals and luxurious hotel suites were in stark contrast with the lives of the average locals.

The adjacent photograph of an elderly woman seated with her bag was taken at Tiger Hill, Suzhou. One can only wonder about the details of her life. Is she the grandmother or perhaps great-grandmother of a growing teen?

My son is a fourth generation Canadian teen of Chinese descent. His great-grandparents came to Canada when they were in their late teens. The circumstances leading up to his ancestor’s departure from their homeland and motivation for their life long adventure will never be known to him. It would have been of great interest to know what his great-great grandparents were thinking, feeling, and perceiving as they watched their children depart for the other side of the world, perhaps never to be seen again.

A fifteen hour flight home with half of the washrooms out of order created long line ups, especially as each in-flight movie ended. However, the annoyance and fatigue seemed insignificant when compared to the hardships of long sea voyages, discrimination, and unfairness that each of our ancestors had to endure while hoping for a better life for their descendants.

With its benefits of health care and education, Canada’s multicultural society provides a foundation in which to create opportunities for ourselves and our children. The brave individuals of our families who succeeded in establishing themselves in this country will endure as personal family heroes.

It is my hope as a Canadian parent that my children will become aware of and be motivated by their family legacy to seek and sustain the dreams of the first generation of Canadians.

2 Responses to “Remembering the Legacy”

  1. Lisa Woo says:
    July 9, 2009 at 11:00 pm

    What do you mean by that last sentence ?

  2. Brian Farn says:
    August 1, 2009 at 4:23 pm

    Lisa, to paraphrase the last sentence: As Canadian parents, we would like our children to be aware of the sacrifices and hardships that the first generation Canadians endured, and continue to pursue the their dreams of having a better life for themselves and their descendants.