💌 423. Breaking Up is Hard, Many People Cry

When word spread that we were leaving Gunseo for Naju, all the members of the Farming Union who had followed my husband came to our house. Though my husband had neglected to take care of his own family, he had shared all the joys and sorrows of life with those members, pouring out all his efforts and devotion. He had instructed them how to work during the day and had taught those with little education at night. My husband, director Kim Man-Bok, had been, sometimes, like a father to them and other times, like an elder brother.

While my husband had been indifferent to his own family, he had been undoubtedly a strong fortress opening the way for those members of the Farming Union to navigate through the tough world. Therefore, their sorrow must have been beyond words as their director, whom they had relied on and followed a lot, suddenly had to leave. Having to leave, the heart-aching farewell was overwhelmingly poignant!

Compelled to part, an indescribable blend of regret and sorrow fills the air, staining the eyes of those bidding farewell with a poignant shade of red.

Among them, the most sorrowful and tearful ones were the elderly couple, the proprietors of the rental house. The elderly landlady spoke, holding my hands and weeping sorrowfully.

“Dear! I, by nature, was not good at giving affection to anyone. However, I really liked you, a good-hearted one and you obeyed us well. It is not just your face that is pretty. Even your heart is beautiful as well. Moreover, you showed great respect for elders, so I truly thought of you as my real daughter. Every chance he got, he was always busy praising you.

My husband would say that you are different from today’s people, going so far as to say, ‘Has Simcheong come back to life?’ It must be difficult for a sick person like you to take care of the four children. Moreover, who else in the world would volunteer to take on the responsibility of caring for such a 96-year-old grandmother-in-law, mother of mother-in-law, even helping her to relieve herself? So, we thought Simcheong had come back to life and truly considered you as our own daughter…” She sobbed.

* Simcheong is a main character in a traditional Korean novel who laid down her life for her father to regain his eyesight.

She could not continue as she was sobbing. "Ma’am, I also thought of you and your husband as my real parents. There had been no one so far who showed me such a warm love but both of you did. I wanted to live here for a long and long time...” As I could not guarantee my future with my life nearing its end, I could not bring myself to tell them that I would visit them again. Instead, I was only weeping, holding her hands tightly.

Next to us, the landlord was sighing deeply, clasping his hands behind his back. Finally calming down my heart, which felt like it would burst from sorrow, I opened my mouth. "Grandfather, Grandmother, I sincerely appreciate with all my heart for taking very affectionate care of us so far with such warm love, just like my real parents. You have been so good to my children too.

Your love has been something greater than what real grandparents have for their own grandchildren. My children and I can never forget it. Rather, we will never ever forget. Even after we leave, may you stay healthy and happy, no matter what.” I wanted to keep their memories in my eyes a little longer, bidding my last farewell, but tears kept flowing as if my eyes would burst.

The landlord, too, finally shed tears and said, "You truly felt like our real daughter. Thanks to these good and lovely kids close to us, we have enjoyed living a happy and warm-hearted life with them. Now, as you leave, how can we endure a life that feels empty, longing to see the children and you again?”

He choked up and could not continue. My little third child and the youngest, seeing their mom crying while holding hands with their dear ones, could hardly stop crying. They seemingly were aware of what is the separation like. The landlord said, “Honey, these little children seem to know that we are parting. Dears! Listen to your mom well and grow up as lovely as you are now.

I will go to see you soon. Now, stop crying, please!” He tried to comfort them, but we ended up crying loudly, embracing each other. “God, please take good care of these elderly.” As a terminally ill patient, I bid a tearful farewell to them with no hope of seeing them again. Though others had called the grandfather an iron skewer or a pickax, saying that they could not live even a month in his house and moved out, we lived together, loving each other and being so happy.

Even now when I am writing this incident, tears flow despite myself, for I miss them so much! We lived in Yeongam and Gunseo for 4 years and 6 months, giving birth to two more children, moving four times, and finally settling down in their house! As we had to leave this dear place where we shared joy and sorrow on the backroads of sadness and happiness, I got only a heavy and broken heart.

Uncontrollable fate! Resolving to decorate the end of my life beautifully, I forced my heavy steps forward by renewing my heart, and practicing Semchigo as if I were making another new start.