Dinah Lin
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!
Dinah’s Story
Stepping Out & Speaking Up
I’m entering the “sixth stage” of my life, at the glorious and youthful age of 79!
“Age is mind over matter,
if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
After finally realizing my decades long dream of writing my book, I had planned to launch a marketing campaign. But my heart wasn’t in marketing – my heart wanted to play with my new granddaughter Liana. I’m happy to say I listened to my heart, not my head. Occasionally, I felt “guilty” for all that play! But for someone who once thought play was a waste of time, play was just what my soul needed. Another heart based decision a few years ago was to consciously shift my focus from ‘doingness’ to ‘beingness’.
At long last, it feels time for me to ‘Step Out & Speak Up’ to share my message on a bigger stage, whatever that may be. After all, it’s never too late!
To share my story here are some highlights from my best selling memoir –
“Daring to Dream Once Again – It’s Never Too Late!”
A Mother’s Dream
In 1949 the Communists had defeated the Nationalists and were rapidly taking over the country–soon they would reach Shanghai. My Dad was in the U.S. on a one year research grant and getting ready to go back. Mom wrote him and said, “No, don’t come back, stay in America. I’ll find a way to get the children and myself out.”
How was my mom going to get herself and three young children out? Shanghai was in chaos with thousands trying escape—to Taiwan, Hong Kong, even Australia. I believe the reason we were able to escape on the last boat leaving Shanghai was due to mom’s courage, determination and ingenuity.
Mom saw the opportunity in the crisis and seized the opportunity–to follow her dream of going to America. She was an ardent patriot–she loved America and the freedom for which it stands.
Mom in her thirties before our escape from Shanghai
A dream I didn’t dare to dream
A Daughter’s Dream
I grew up in Ohio, in a small town where we are the only Asians. From a very early age I felt both immense gratitude and a sense of responsibility in being Chinese American. This feeling of gratitude and responsibility has always remained with me and helped to shape the person I am.
Growing up in the midwest in the 1950s, my siblings and I simply wanted to be “all American.” You could say I was successful–becoming President of Y-Teens, a majorette and, a total surprise to me, Homecoming Queen.
Despite hardships for our family in the early years which, as a child, I didn’t even notice, my childhood was a happy one.
“My victory was also for all Asian Americans”
Living Someone Else’s Dream
At seventeen my dream was to major in International Relations, enter the Foreign Service, become a diplomat and work towards improving the relationship between China and the U.S. An early marriage and family changed all that. Instead, I followed my husband to Asia where we lived in five countries in fifteen years, my daughter was born in Malaysia.
Living in Asia in the 60s and 70s was an enriching experience, albeit not always easy. Importantly, this was the beginning of my appreciation and understanding for Asian culture.
A Dream of My Own
From the outside looking in, I was living the “ideal life.” But on the inside, I felt a growing emptiness and a longing to do more. What happened to my early dream of a career? Finally, I decided to give banking a try. I had majored in Economics and graduated with honors (and a twelve month old baby!). Thus, I began my career at the ripe age of 36. Sadly, while my fledging career flourished, our already faltering marriage fell apart.
I left Hong Kong, and plunged into my studies as a MBA student at Columbia Business School. For the next fifteen years I was with two Fortune 500 companies and three high-tech start-ups, as well as serving as a senior official in Washington, D.C. from 1989-1992.
In my mind, I finally broke the “glass ceiling” when I became Vice President, Worldwide Business Development, for Burger King. In this capacity I travelled regularly to Asia. This was the early days of 1993, years before China’s explosive growth.
One of many speeches while serving in Washington, D.C.
Opening of new Burger King in Seoul, Korea
“I did break new ground,
not only for women, but for minorities”
Getting around campus in Beijing
Following A Dream Back Home
By the late 1990s, a long-held and dormant dream of learning to speak Chinese fluently and re-connecting with my roots reappeared in my consciousness. This was the era of the tech bubble. I jumped in with both feet wanting to make extra money to follow my dream. Instead, I lost big time! My left brain shouted, “Dinah, get a job, any job!” My heart whispered, “But I still want to go to China.” I prayed, I listened to my heart, and I went.
It was one of the best decisions of my life, a life changing and priceless experience, worth more than any amount of money. The single most important lesson I’ve learned in my seven plus decades is, listen to your heart. Your heart has a wisdom beyond what the mind knows, and it will not lead you astray.
“Listen to your heart…
your heart will not lead you astray”
Daring to Dream Once Again
In a blink of an eye a decade passed, and it felt like time to come home, home to America. I left Beijing and relocated to California, to be near my daughter, son and grandchildren.
A few months after my return, while driving, I began crying which turned to sobbing, as if my heart was breaking, because it was. I was letting my long held dream of writing my book slip away, day-by-day, month-by-month and year-by-year. One day, the words, “daring to dream once again” flashed through my mind, and I felt a new resolve. My soul shouted exuberantly, “Yes!”
I’d like to leave you with these closing thoughts. If you have a dream you’ve almost forgotten or one that’s buried beneath your “to do” lists, I invite you to rescue your dream, or dream a new dream. Take that all important first step, however small that step may be.