My family tree and ancestry can be traced back to the province of Guang Dong, China. I am fortunate to be a second-generation migrant. Life for my forefathers was simple back in China. But my forefathers decided to take a chance with my uncle and leave behind the life they knew, their friends and relatives to move to then Malaya in search of a better life. When my family first arrived in Singapore, times were extremely hard. Although our family was fortunate and eventually found accommodation, it was far from the cozy lives that we lead now. The quarters were crammed with several families without any of the modern amenities that one would associate with modern living – such as fresh running water and a safe neighbourhood. However, even a crammed and uncomfortable existence could not dampen the aspirations and spirits of all the first generation migrants who had believed that the only way to improve their lot in life is through sheer determination and hard work. Day after day and night after night my parents toiled, mostly working in tough manual jobs such as contractors and seamstress. My father was a contractor who is often out at plantation between the different Malayan states, leaving behind my mother to take care of the family. I remember admiring how much freedom my mother must have felt when she felt that she is raising her family through her artwork. It was only until I followed in my mother’s footsteps and became a seamstress that I appreciated how tough life was and the sacrifices that needed to be made. I had just taken on the mantle of providing for my young family when I was in my mid twenties. I remember the aching pain in my heart each time I am unable to coach my four kids in their studies. But like my forefathers and so many in my generation, I knew it was a sacrifice that I had to make and I could only hope that it will pay off eventually. Fast forward to today, these memories and the hard times we suffered is as distant as the horizon that I used to look at when I was young. As I entered into my twilight years, my hope is that the next generation can inherit the torch and the values it symbolizes - hard work, grit, self-discipline, generosity and sacrifice – values that our pioneer generation held dear.