My Mom's Dream (1)

I talked with my mom on the phone today. She shared a story with me about her life.

She only attended junior college, which was already quite an achievement at that time, but she was never satisfied. She wanted to study law.

However, by that time, she was already a mother; I was around 14. (2) Moreover, she needed to take care of my two cousins, who went to high school in the vicinity of our home/in the neighbouring community and thus lived with us. When my mom decided to revive (or pursue) her dream and study law, my cousins were preparing to take the college entrance exam, the life-and-death challenge in a Chinese student's life.

She even went so far as to register for an online class for law. However, being entrusted with the care of the children, she decided to postpone her dream. She said to herself,"After they finish their exam, I will have time and begin to study law." However, when my two cousins finally finished their exam, my mom could no longer find the energy to study - she was around 40.

She told me on the phone,"I was too old to learn, even if I loved it. And even if I had studied it, what use would it have been? The primary task for me was to take care of your cousins and you." So she pushed her dream into a corner of her heart and continued her HR job.

The story hasn't ended however. Seven years later, she became a mediator in the community. She said it was one way to continue her dream. Basic knowledge of civil law is a must for her current job. But I still sense regret (3) in her tone. However, life can't be lived over. Even if she had this time back, I bet she would still make the same decision. She is a typical Chinese woman, or a typical mother who always places her family first/prioritizes her family.

When I typed "typical", I really had complex/mixed feelings. I wished that she could have achieved her dream, but at the same time, I understood the difficulty and struggle she had been through.

Now I know why she always tells me to do what I love, not because she has achieved her goals, but because she hasn't.

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Thank you for any corrections. Sorry that I wrote some synonyms in the essay, which may make it less consistent. I would appreciate any comments or advice.

(1) For a title, we usually simply say "The Topic" rather than "About the Topic"

(2) You could write this as "However, by that time she was already the mother of a 14 year old"

(3) Pity is usually something you apply to someone else. Regret is more appropriate here

Good job Kailin, well written!