The small things...

You might already know this, but Chinese people are not traditionally outwardly affectionate. It's kind of uncommon to find Chinese parents saying things like "I love you" or showering their children with hugs and kisses. This is especially true for the older generations.

Ever since I moved out of my grandparents' house in Taoyuan, I've been visiting them every Wednesday after class to eat and just keep them company. Generally, few words are spoken and I am, more or less... ignored. One thing I almost always do at their house while waiting for dinner, though, is clip and file my nails. I never bothered to buy my own clipper because I figured I could just do them once a week at my grandparents house.

Today, though, when I went for the nail clippers, I found a second one in the pile. a brand new one! As it turns out, my grandpa had taken notice of my weekly trim and bought me my own clipper! It's times like these when I know that, while they may not always show it, my grandparents DO actually love me. I couldn't help thinking about the famous Chinese poem, 背影 (bei ying) by 朱自清 (Zhu Ziqing).

Actions speak louder than words and it's the small things that count.