My Parents Crossed the Ocean So I Could Reach the Stars

They left with the stars as their guide,

A battered boat on a merciless tide.

Through dark waters and skies of gray,

They sailed for hope, for dreams and a better day.

But love was their anchor, courage their sail,

In a sea of despair, they dare not fail.

A camp became their refuge of dreams,

A place where nothing was as it seems.

Mary and her Mom

Yet from that soil of struggle and strife,

They planted the seeds for a better life.

America, a land of promise untold,

Its streets were not paved with glittering gold.

But with calloused hands and sleepless nights,

They carved a path through endless fights.

From sweat and tears, they paved my way,

So I could stand where I am today.

A builder of dreams, a teller of tales,

An entrepreneur whose vision sails.

Four million hearts, young and true,

Have felt the light of what I do.

But it’s my parents’ journey, their fight, their fire,

That lifts me up, that takes me higher.

Their story whispers throughout all I‘ve done -

A legacy that will be passed to my son.

Their ocean crossed, their dreams in hand,

Now ripple out across this land.

My parents crossed the ocean so I could reach the stars,

Their journey etched in my soul, their strength in my scars.

For every step I take, every dream I dare,

I honor the courage that brought me here.

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Mary Nhin is a social impact entrepreneur and author, President and CEO of Ninja Life Hacks, a children's book series, with over four million books sold. She and her husband, Kang Nhin, are proud parents of three children, Mikey, Kobe, and Jojo.