Cheng Tsz Ling_It's Okay Not to Be Like Mom_Hong Kong Macau Limited Edition

Author: Cheng Tsz Ling Publisher: Bright Light Culture Size: 148mm x 210mm Pages: 264 ISBN: 978-988-8884-56-8 Publication Date: July 2025 [Synopsis] Cheng Tsz Ling's latest collection of short stories and essays, written for all the imperfect women who love fiercely. "It's okay if I'm not like my mother; I will love you just the same." Perhaps this is what we most want to hear from our mothers, and it's also what I want to say to my daughter. By the time you truly understand your mother, there might not be much time left for reconciliation. Whether a mother's love is a suffocating shadow or a protective canopy depends on where you are in life. A mother's love doesn't retreat because we no longer need it; it's always there. This connection is enough to see us through storms. If a mother's love is a chain, do we have the courage to break free? We may not want to repeat every choice our mother made, but this doesn't mean we dislike or reject her. It simply means we want to challenge life with our own strength. The title "It's Okay Not to Be Like Mom" has two layers of meaning: First, it's okay for women not to adhere to a stereotypical "mother's role." Women can maintain their individuality and embody motherhood as they envision it. Second, it's okay for us, as daughters, not to inherit what our mothers wish to pass down. Mothers can also be mistaken or biased. Accepting this is key to unlocking our hearts to love her and be loved by her. [Six short stories and eighteen follow-up essays dedicated to imperfect women who love fiercely] ~ "Nameless Park": A single mother encounters a gentle father in the park. "A park is not just a place for children to play; it's also where individuals facing life's downturns must confront their inner selves. You learn contentment, joy, and sincerity without expectation, just like a child." ~ "What About You?": Two mothers who were once timid girls transform into brave warrior mothers. "It would be a lie to say I never thought of escaping. But as a mother, you can only do what's in front of you. It's painful, but also a joy." ~ "Disappointing": An independent daughter hurt by her mother's high expectations. "Perhaps because daughters watch their mothers so closely, their mother's habits are most apparent to them. I always envied others with mothers who had such strong personalities. I even fantasized about them divorcing; then I'd have more reasons to rebel." ~ "London Bridge Is Falling Down": An eldest daughter, suffering from "firstborn syndrome," longs for her mother's affection, who favors others. "Is it because my birthday is the same day as my mom's that she thinks she can pass on everything to me? Or is my mother truly afraid of forgetting her value in this life because no one has ever appreciated her?" ~ "BITTERSWEET": A stay-at-home mother confirms her maternal instincts after confiding in her ex. "'What should I talk about with my wife? The moment I talk about feelings, she shuts down, and she doesn't like men being weak...' He's been tamed by such a woman. I feel he's no longer the man I once loved." ~ "I Want to Hear Your Voice": An optimistic mother whose daughter has an inherited disease. "'Aren't all my sufferings given to me by my mother?' 'But she's also trying her best to take care of you.' 'That's because she owes me.' 'Will thinking that way make you happier? If life is limited, and you don't grow now, you'll miss the chance.'" [Author's Biography] Cheng Tsz Ling Graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a major in Translation, minoring in French and Japanese Studies. She was an exchange student at the University of California, Los Angeles, and holds a Master's degree in Cross-Cultural Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Born on February 29th, a leap day, she's an emotional Pisces, prone to laughter and tears. She loves cats, the sea, books, music, and photography. Currently living in Okinawa, she cherishes the consistently blue light here. An eternal observer of emotions. Once a timid and dependent woman, she has become a brave and steadfast mother.