LIFE
A Dance of Divergence
Being an aunt with two left feet
There are two things I’m certain of in this world. First, I have no desire to have children of my own. Second, I’m destined to be a bad-ass aunt. Both choices are made with joy, and no amount of money could change my mind. What disappoints me, however, is the absence of an Aunt’s Day celebration, similar to Mother’s Day. What’s up with that? Many aunts I know invest significant effort to be there for their nieces and nephews.
As I write this, my 19-year-old niece is upset with me. She’s currently giving me the cold shoulder, ruffled because I gave her a piece of my mind about discipline, loyalty, and respect. This isn’t the first time, nor the third, and it certainly won’t be the last.
My niece recently bought a piece of clothing online. When it arrived, it turned out to be much saucier than it appeared in the picture. Her mother was not pleased and forbade her from wearing it in public. While my niece is considered an adult in the West, things are a bit different in Asia when it comes to parental authority. It also boils down to values like civility and cultivation.
“You’re not going out in that.” Said her mother. “It’s a bit much. You’ll lure all the wrong attention.”
