My mother was born in Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country, and in the 1990s, she moved to America, bringing her beliefs with her. When my brother and I were born, my mom introduced us to Buddhism. We would kneel on the bed alongside her every night as we recited a prayer in Thai. As soon as we were able to walk, she started bringing us to a Buddhist temple every Sunday. There, my brother and I practiced meditation and sometimes received blessings from monks. After these blessings, the monks would tie a yellow lucky knot bracelet around our wrists. My mom told us that it was for good health and fortune, and over the years, I would receive a myriad of these lucky knot bracelets. As I grew older, I began to stray away from Buddhism, much to my mother’s dismay. Slowly but surely, I started to see Buddhism as a waste of time. I threw numerous fits over having to wake up early on Sunday and attend my mother’s meditation sessions, until she eventually stopped bringing me. It’s only years later that I realize how disrespectful my behavior was to my mother and her religion. I understand now that my mother was able to thrive in an unfamiliar environment because of Buddhism.  Five years ago, I saw my lucky knot bracelet as a reminder of the long, grueling hours spent at my mother’s temples. Now, I see it as one of the pieces of the key, Buddhism, that allowed my mother to be one of the figures I look up to the most in life. My lucky knot bracelet has allowed me to understand the importance of my mother’s religion in my upbringing, and for that, I will forever cherish it.

– Jayden Halili

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant