When my family finally made it to America, we had very little — yet we were happy. WHY?
- We were now free to choose our own path.
- We learned English (no “press 2 for Vietnamese”). It empowered us to greater heights.
- We worked hard and blamed no one when we failed.
- We embraced American culture while keeping our heritage (I still speak Vietnamese).
- We accepted help with humility and gratitude.
- We gave back to this great nation and tried to make proud those who helped us.
I’m grateful my parents made these foundational decisions for us from the very start. It gave us a real shot at happiness — a life of full of gratitude, service, and without entitlement.