dear ms. chan
Ms. Elim Chan,
When I was in Hong Kong this past December, I would just stare up at all the high rise residential buildings. I thought how different this world is, and how amazing too. Very different from the well dispersed and well off here in Johns Creek, Georgia, USA where I live now and where I have raised three daughters. Living here one gets the naive belief that one could do this or that quite successfully – regardless of the reality. I looked at building after building in Hong Kong and knew that inside are families with children with amazing dreams. I was so impressed with the stories of the people I met there, the kind of life they built, the aspirations they shared, how their families are very connected, no matter if they are far away in China. It seems everyone is just a train ride away.
So I sent my daughters a picture of a family in China riding on a scooter, mom driving, daughter between her legs, and husband on the back. They had stopped in front of me to buy an ice cream cone, probably on the way home from work and school together. The family was laughing and happy. I will post the picture if I can find it.
I wrote to my daughters that this was something that I saw over and over again in China – not just a person on a scooter, which is rare around my home, but whole families on one scooter or a big family riding side by side on two scooters; those things I have never seen in the USA. Not once. Anyway, I told them I thought they would more than likely be working for the little girl on the scooter one day because that little girl and her family take everything much more seriously.
Then when I was in Hong Kong this time I read about you, Elim Chan, and how you had won the Donatella Flick London Symphony Orchestra Competition in Hong Kong in 2014 and that led me to read more about your life and accomplishments. I am so impressed with you. Your story is wonderful. Maybe you are the little girl on the scooter? I admire your ability to learn and grow and share and change paths and orchestrate your life. You are on the world stage, and at such a young age!
I am encouraged by your words, “If I have the courage to pursue what I love, then so do you.” I struggle with balancing responsibility for the past with whatever the future holds. I’ve spent a long time being responsible, certainly I’ve earned some room for craziness. And that might mean more if I tell you I am 60. I’ve done a lot of things and it just gets harder to not let the past entirely determine the future. I can only impact the future, not the past, so if they conspire against me, its over.
I hope this even gets through to you. I am planning to come to one of your concerts later this year (somewhere in Europe) and I wanted to ask if I could meet you? Perhaps we can share a meal. I am hoping one or more of my daughters want to go too, but they don’t know anything about this yet.
You are a hero to me, strong, determined, creative, amazing and it would be my honor to meet you if you have time.
I hope to hear from you. I really hope to help my daughters see the beauty and value and importance of both self confidence, and artistic expression, just by knowing your story, but even better by seeing your smile.
Sincerely,
David
Elim – you can find out more about me here: http://www.davidgeiger.blog
For those interested in Elim Chan, look here: https://elimchan.com
david geiger 
One Response to “dear ms. chan”
Many places in this world are far different from our comfortable urban lifestyle we grew up with. Hong Kong, in my small view, is one much like you saw. The tall buildings with light displays with many people making it all happen. They share many the same freedoms we have. It’s a major financial hub in that part of the world. The have many brilliant people creating a better life for their children much as we do here.
Travel brings cultures together and opens our eyes to better understanding of one another hopefully.
Great idea to take one of your daughters with you Dave.
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