Winners
Ellena Li, 15, from Toronto, responded to a June article from the Well section, “The Subtle Art of the Dad Text,” by writing:
Asian parents don’t text their kids like they do in Western movies. There are no “I love you”s, no heart emojis, no long paragraphs about how proud they are. My dad texts, “Spinach feta wrap. Want?” That’s his version of I love you. His language isn’t flowery or loud; it’s quiet, practical, and wrapped in a Starbucks order. Most often, it’s communicated through Messenger: a single thumbs-up emoji. Whenever I got a good grade, I’d send him a screenshot.
He’d reply with 👍.
If I got an A+, he might even send three 👍👍👍.
That was his version of fireworks.
At first, I found it funny, like we were playing a secret code game only we understood. Somehow, no matter what I sent him, that little thumbs-up felt like a whole conversation. It meant I’m proud of you, I see you, you’re doing great.
Then one day, I got a bad grade. I sent it anyway, nervous but honest. I waited, expecting silence or maybe a short voice message asking what happened.
Instead, he replied with a single thumbs-up.
Just one.
It was the same emoji as before, but this time, it hit differently. It felt heavier, quieter, more human. And I cried. Because in that moment, I understood: That emoji didn’t mean good job. It meant I’m still here. It meant I love you, even now. A true father’s love doesn’t always sound like words — it shows up in the silence, in the small things, in a world where a thumbs-up can mean
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Muai L. on “What My Dad Gave Me”
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