Family and Values

My Dearest Olivia,

I know it will be some years before you could read and understand these letters. Yet I choose to start writing them now because these are words that I'd like to share not only with you, but also your parents, uncles and aunts, so that they'll know and understand more about our family history as well as the principles and values upheld by us and our ancestors. Olivia you are the first member of the 26th generation of our Lam Family, and I wish to dedicate these letters to you, my beloved first granddaughter. I do hope you would treasure them by the time you are old enough to understand, and appreciate your grand parents' love and affection for all of you.

Let us begin with the family dinner on June 5. You were eaxctly one month old and it was also your Uncle Al's birthday. The dinner celebration meant a lot to all of us. You can see and feel the joy of family reunion from the photograph above, which was actually the first family picture taken since last year, 2007.


Olivia you were born into a family of strong ties between its members. Though grandma and I are living in Hong Kong, far away from your parents and uncles, the ties between us never weaken. No distance nor anything could separate us because of the bond of love. Our love for you began at the moment your Daddy told us on the phone that your Mom was pragnant. We were delighted by the news of your birth. Regretfully we were not in Toronto when your were born, but our hearts were filled with thanksgiving and warm memories of the births of your Daddy, Uncles Al and Rob when we were looking at your lovely baby pictures online. We were pleasantly surprised by the thoughtfulness of your parents in bringing you to greet us at the airport on May 31st. Grandma and I were both overwhelmed with joy at the first sight of our first granddaughter. You were so tiny and cute!

We spent the following two weeks in joy and laughter, admiring the beauty of God's creation of man as we watched every little movement of yours. You were absolutely surrounded by the love of your parents, uncles and aunts. It is a true blessing of God for one to grow up in a family of love. In our family, love for one another comes first and foremost.

With love comes sacrifice. No matter how reluctant I was to leave you, I had to return to Hong Kong to fulfill my duties and obligations as a son to my mom, your Great Grandma. She took good care of me when I was a baby, in exactly the same loving manner grandma took care of your Dad and your parents of you. Olivia, in our family love is passed down from one generation to the next. It keeps us closely bonded together.

Next time I'll tell you more about me when I was a baby like you.

Love always,
Grandpa