The Wisdom of Being Less Young

Rotary Craft Talk�A journey of service, reflection, and legacy

Roots in Taiwan

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Born in Taiwan, an island with a complex political identity

�Parents’ families retreated from mainland China after 1949�

Grandfather: first Chinese air force

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Father: grew up among China’s elite

Family Background

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Father: PR officer for the Taiwanese Postmaster General

�Mother: College professor with a strong personality

�My mother is like eczema

Crossing the Pacific

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Moved to the U.S. as an adolescent in 1985

�Cultural shock and language barriers

�Entered ESL program, adapted to a new environment

College at UCLA

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My roommate was my brother��Graduated summa cum laude in Biology

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Lifelong friendship with roommates

Starting a Family

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Settled in Long Beach after pediatric residency��Meeting her and closing the deal

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Birth of a son

A Fateful Day in 2017

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Entered a room in medical building for lunch conference��Club president Lance enticed with barbecued chicken

�Stayed — World Polio Day in October

A Coincidental Connection

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World Polio Day is on October 28

�The Bill Gates’s connection— turning 70 with polio vaccine

�Density written in the stars

The Ripple Effect

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Small kindnesses echo across time

�We may not see the origins, but the influence of a simple act spreads

�Service connects human stories across culture and generations

Closing Thoughts

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“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.

Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

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-- Samuel Beckett

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