"Digging in China" was a touching memoir written by Michelle Y. In this piece, Michelle tells about her experience as an orphan. Unlike other orphans, her parents didn't pass away, rather, her mother had abandoned her as a newborn. Because Chinese rule didn't allow more than one child per family at the time, and she was a female born on the year of the dragon, her mother gave her away for adoption. For most of her life, Michelle despised her mother for taking away a part of her childhood. However, after a trip to China, she considered her mother's perspective and realized that it must have been a tough choice for her to give up one of her own offspring. She now feels enlightened and has newfound feelings for her mother. 

As a Chinese myself, I am aware of the law restricting childbirth at the time. I had always thought it was simple, but after reading this passage, I realized it was far from it. I never considered the lives of the unlucky children who happened to be a secondborn. Like Michelle, my older sister was also born in the year of the dragon. Fortunately, my mother moved to the United States, where the rule did not apply. I can't imagine how different my life would be if she hadn't moved; if I never knew my own sibling. Michelle's article made me more aware of the circumstances of siblings at that time. Overall, it was a relatable piece with a message that hits straight home.