"We came to this country for you."

 

I'm the product of two immigrants in love.

The 'better' life they were seeking for me

Is within reach

 

They worked so hard to get me here

So now that I'm here

What's next?

 

Education is the immigrant's gold

Their children must have the grades to show

Them that their struggle was not for nothing

 

I love my parents even more 

For what they went through

So I work

 

I work so I can make my parents know 

That I am not a waste

I want them to know

 

I work hard

I do my best

I see my results

 

I show them my hard work

I show them my best

I show them my results

 

"You can do better than this!"

 

I see that my best

Is not good enough

For them

 

I see that 

I am not good enough

For them

 

So, I'll do better

So that they know

I am good enough

 

So this time

I have come equipped

With better results

 

And not a hint of pride

Or satisfaction

Is evident

 

So I do better

So I come to show them

So I hope to please them

 

Again

and Again

and Again

 

"You're not here to make us proud!

 

But I'm afraid I was

I'm afraid I was brought here 

To make them proud

 

My entire existence

My living and breathing

Was for them

 

And I've tried 

To meet their goals

To meet their standard

 

And after 20 years

I've found the truth

An ugly truth

 

There is no goal

High enough

To satisfy them 

 

My whole life

I knew that their happiness

Depended on my success

 

And my success

Was never

Going to be enough

 

This veil of dependence

This veil of desperation

This veil of desolation

 

Has weighed on my soul

My entire life

And I never knew it existed

 

The day you lift your veil

You become 

Yourself

 

With your veil

You attempt to become 

Everything you aren't

 

You realize that

The goals of your parents

Will never be met

 

You realize that

Your goals

Are the ones that matter

 

You will succeed

You can succeed

On your own terms

 

Meet and accomplish

Your own goals

Not anyone else's

 

Exceed your goals

For yourself

And there is no limit

 

To what

Self-expression

and independence

 

Can

Do