Bao, a short film by Domee Shi, was released in 2018. This short film from Pixar Animation Studios and director Domee Shi explores the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship through the colorful, rich, and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community.

“Bao,” an aging Chinese mom suffering from empty nest syndrome gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively, giggly dumpling boy. Mom excitedly welcomes this new bundle of joy into her life, but Dumpling starts growing up fast, and Mom must come to the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever. While Bao is one of Pixar’s shorts, it will take you on a full emotional journey before you get to the full feature. The characters are relate-able, the story is one that you will want to hold close to your heart and the animation is amazing. You’re going to fall in love with Bao over and over again.

There are different translations of the word from Behind the Name. In Chinese, Bǎo means “treasure, jewel, precious, rare”. In Vietnamese, the name Bảo means “protection or security”. Keep these meanings in mind as you watch the short film. This words describing Bao in both Vietnamese and Chinese mean a lot to me. I hear them spell out that in each of us like Bao there is a treasure, a jewel, a precious and rare person, there is a person that is safe and secure. This are very strong words describing one word.

As I write this peace I imagine a reader thirsting for affirmations, I want to affirm you that everything you need is already inside you.Everything you seek is within you. You are exactly where you need to be in this moment.

Again I repeat: You are precious, unique in all the world, and valued beyond measure. And so is everyone around you. Don’t just nod your head. Think about it. Take it in.