Remember what I said, Darling?" Her voice murmured on the restless branches. "The challenges faced by Vietnamese people are as tall as the tallest mountains. If you stand too close, you won't be able to see their peaks. Once you step away from the currents of life, you will have the full view...
-- Diệu Lan (The Tallest Mountains)

Importance: This quote embodies the most prevailing theme of Diệu Lan and Hương's stories. Hương reflects on this quote as she burns incense for her grandmother, who has since passed away. This quote is inherently contemplative; as time passes, the hardships of the Tran family, as well as the Vietnamese people, become more clear. In order to understand how much these people have endured, it is necessary to listen and understand the entire story. This quote is also an example of one of Diệu Lan's many aphorisms, which usually rely on natural imagery to...