💌 481. Mother-in-Law's Arm-Breaking Accident

One day, not long after starting the beauty parlor, I received a call while attending to a customer's hair. It was about my mother-in-law in Gwangju falling down the attic stairs. Startled, I asked the hairdresser to take over the customer’s hair that I was doing and immediately headed to Gwangju. Upon arrival, I saw that my mother-in-law was in great pain. "Mother, I am here now. So please do not worry."

I hurriedly took my mother-in-law to the hospital. The examination results revealed that her right hand was in a much worse condition than I imagined. The two bones in the right wrist were all broken and that the surrounding bones were completely crushed too. Additionally, the doctor said that since the fractures caused the ligaments, nerves, and the thin blood vessels to all rupture, if surgery was not performed promptly, there was a possibility of necrosis and amputation might be necessary.

Also, even with the surgery, the hospitalization might last for more than a month. However, the day after my mother-in-law was hospitalized, it was difficult to be absent from the beauty parlor. Not only was the parlor business thriving well, making us very busy, but there were also customers who made appointments with me. Moreover, since the business had recently opened, breaking appointments with customers was difficult.

Even though I rarely asked for others' favors, there was no other choice, so I reached out to my brothers-in-law and their wives, who were housewives living in Gwangju, asking them to assist with my mother-in-law's care for at least one day following her surgery. However, all those many brothers-in-law and their wives turned me away, saying that they were busy. I, who was struggling in my daily hectic schedule, went blank for a moment.

However, I felt pity for my mother-in-law because no one helped her despite having many children. Therefore, I chose to accept the situation as the Lord’s will to pray and practice love with a joyful heart. So I responded with Amen and I gladly offered it up with Semchigo as if I was loved by my mother-in-law. I heard that the customers, who had appointments with me, got angry and just left the parlor because I was not there.

During that time, not many people had phones at home, so I could not phone the customers to cancel the appointments. Eventually, when they came the next time, I soothed them by offering an additional free service of hairdo. As I did it by turning it into prayers (Prayers of Life), their hearts quickly softened. When their hairdo was complete, they left with smiles, expressing how much they liked their hair.

Even though none of my many siblings-in-law showed any concern for their mother, I practiced Semchigo as if they helped me and Semchigo as if I went to the parlor and earned money. And offering the Prayers of Life, I stayed up every night handling my mother-in-law’s urination and bowel movements, willingly attending to my mother-in-law's needs. Her right hand that she mainly used, not her left one, had been injured, rendering her unable to do anything properly.

Therefore, I found myself becoming like my mother-in-law's hands and feet and I had to take care of her everything from A to Z. Doing my best like that, I earnestly prayed not only for the healing of her injury but also for the complete healing of her soul and body through my offering such love and devotion which may reach God. By kissing the wounded region and blowing my breath on it, I took care of her with love.

An elderly woman patient next to my mother-in-law who had witnessed that I had never left my mother-in-law's side and provided wholehearted care to her with a constant smile, expressed envy, saying, “Oh, I wish I had such a quiet, gentle and beautiful daughter like her. My daughters-in-law, on the other hand, not only failed to care but also have never visited me till now during my illness; they have all fled!"

Then she said to my mother-in-law, "You must be very happy. How could you have such a beautiful, thoughtful, and good daughter?" So, with a smile, I replied, "I am not a daughter; I am her daughter-in-law." The elderly woman’s eyes widened and she exclaimed, "Oh my, what did you say? In this world, in heaven and on earth, how can a daughter-in-law care for her mother-in-law with such wholehearted dedication, surpassing even the filial piety of Shim Cheong? Where else in the world can you find such a daughter-in-law?"

*The traditional Korean folk tale of 'Sim Cheong' is a story about a young girl, Sim Cheong, who sacrifices herself by throwing herself into the Indang Sea so that her blind father can regain his eyesight.

Upon hearing this, my mother-in-law added, "Right, even she maintains harmony among her siblings-in-law and she even treated my mother very well." The elderly woman responded, "Oh my! You are greatly blessed. Who else in the world, in heaven and on earth could even take good care of her maternal grandmother-in-law? Where else can you find a daughter-in-law like her in the world? I am hearing it for the first time since I was born.

Oh my, even though I have many children, I am not blessed. Although my leg was broken, no one came to see me. Sons are of no use. In this case, daughters are the best," she said with a hint of tears in her voice. Hearing the elderly woman's sorrowful story, I took very deep pity on her who was alone in the hospital with no one to care for her. "Grandmother, from now on, I will help you. Do not worry and do not cry."

After that, I took care of the elderly woman as well. There were no professional caregivers available, I had to move several times more diligently because she could not move her legs. Without taking a break, I attended to them, prepared meals, assisted with bathing and took care of them, even handling both their urination and bowel movements. I was constantly busy and exhausted without a moment to catch my breath.

However, as I, who had always wanted to be a friend to those who are marginalized and lonely, saw her happy and it made my heart very gratified. No matter how difficult it was, I worked with Semchigo as if I were loved, offering up the Prayers of Life in every moment within the love of Jesus. Therefore, my heart overflowed with the love of the Lord, filling me with profound joy.

My personal reflection note with Mama Julia🌹💗 

Link 👉🏻

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