This Spring Festival was very special. It was the first time I had celebrated the biggest festival with Gran alone, only the two of us at home.

 

Back in my hometown there were a lot of things that Dad and Mum had to see to personally. Besides, Mum missed her mother, my maternal gran very much. Therefore, my parents both had to go back to our roots in the countryside.

 

Gran is too feeble for the trip. Normally the season around the Spring Festival is the harshest wintertime. In rural China a lot of comforts and facilities are lacking, such as heating and decent toilets. Therefore, when my parents made the decision to go back to our home village, I was left behind in our city home to look after Gran.

 

In the beginning I felt nothing. With all the conveniences like electrical appliances and gas cookers, household chores were just a breeze, such as washing and showering. Cooking, however, was a different story. Chinese cuisine is well known for its complexity and delicacy. When it was time to cook, I felt a surge of apprehension about the job. On the second day I started to feel the strain. The third day saw me praying that Mum could come back sooner. No more than three days of keeping house and looking after Gran exhausted me.

 

The experience has raised my awareness of how great Mum is. I used to take for granted Mum’s everyday work around the home. The truth, however, is that my family could not possibly survive without her selfless contribution to the household.