The Affection of Green Leaves for Roots By Jenny Gao Thursday, January 16, 2025
In April 2024, my parents left after residing in America for 22 years, taking only two green cards as souvenirs. They returned to their homeland—a place that lingers in their dreams, a land rich in fish and rice—hometown.
It is the bond of falling leaves with their roots from the perspective of cultural sentiment, It represents old age, limited mobility, and the inability to travel between China and America as they did in their youth. It is a burden I can no longer shoulder alone—the weight of nurturing, raising, cultivating life and existence, all the responsibilities that come with it.
From now on, my life will transform into a daily routine, connecting the East Coast of America with South China, whether it’s west of Hunan or Southeast of Guizhou. Each day, I will greet my elderly parents and my two elder brothers who care for them, rising in the morning like the lotus blossoms and leaves of Dongting Lake, ready to express my love and concern.