03/08/2026
Today I’ve been thinking about my grandmother, my mother’s mother. She was Hakka, strong-willed and practical, and always caring for everyone around her.
She raised four children and ran a busy household, yet there was always something simmering on the stove. Hakka soups that cooked for hours, braised tofu dishes, and herbs set out neatly on the counter as she prepared them for the next meal. She never called it wellness. It was simply how she nourished her family.
What I remember most isn’t just the food, though, it’s the way she would look at me and ask, every single time, “Are you resting? Are you taking care of yourself?” She didn’t ask what I had achieved. She didn’t ask what I was chasing next. She asked whether I was resting.
As I’ve grown older, I think about that more and more. So many of us are constantly moving, building careers, raising families, proving ourselves, holding everything together. We’re praised for how much we can carry, but rarely reminded to pause. My grandmother carried a lot too. But she understood something deeply: nourishment wasn’t indulgent, and rest wasn’t laziness. It was what allowed you to keep going.
So today, on International Women’s Day, I’m honoring her by slowing down, even just a little.
