The Joy Luck Club

"I have always believed in your blessings," she praised God in that same tone she used for exaggerated Chinese compliments. "We knew they would come. We did not question them. Your decisions were our decisions. You rewarded us for our faith.
"In return we have always tried to show our deepest respect. We went to your house. We brought you money. We sang your songs. You gave us more blessings. And now we have misplaced one of them. We were careless. This is true. We had so many good things, we couldn't keep them in our mind all the time.
"So maybe you hid him from us to teach us a lesson, to be more careful with your gifts in the future. I have learned this. I have put it in my memory.

She said a mirror could see only my face, but she could see me inside out even when I was not in the room.

Too much water and you flowed in too many directions,

Too much fire and you had a bad temper.

Too little wood and you bent too quickly to listen to other people's ideas, unable to stand on your own

"Bad wife!" she cried. "If you refuse to sleep with my son, I refuse to feed you or clothe you." So that's how I knew what my husband had said to avoid his mother's anger. I was also boiling with anger, but I said nothing, remembering my promise to my parents to be an obedient wife.

He had no desire for me, but it was his fear that made me think he had no desire for any woman. He was like a little boy who had never grown up

I was surprised at what I saw. I had on a beautiful red dress, but what I saw was even more valuable. I was strong. I was pure. I had genuine thoughts inside that no one could see, that no one could ever take away from me. I was like the wind.

What is true about a person? Would I change in the same way the river changes color but still be the same person?

I wondered why my destiny had been decided, why I should have an unhappy life so someone else could have a happy one.