Guro-gu Faces Unprecedented COVID-19 Situation, Advises Refraining from Visiting Hometown During Chuseok, Launches 'Writing Love Letters to Parents in Hometown' Campaign; Mayor Lee Seong Joins in Writing Love Letters
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Lee Seong, the head of Guro District Office, participated in writing a heartfelt handwritten letter to express his deep longing for his parents.
Guro District is encouraging residents to refrain from visiting their hometowns during the Chuseok holiday amid the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, and is running a campaign called “Writing a Love Letter to Parents in Hometown” to soothe the residents’ disappointed feelings.
Head Lee also personally joined the campaign. He explained the reason for his participation, saying, “I suggested to residents and staff to participate in the campaign of writing letters to parents in their hometowns, and I also felt a strong longing for my parents in heaven, so I picked up the pen.”
In his letter, Head Lee expressed his apology to his mother: “Mother, you must have worried a lot because of me, right? I used to think your heartache and stomach illness were only because of my eldest brother who passed away early, but now I realize that’s not the case. Now that the children have married and moved out, I also understand the worry and longing parents have for their children. In the 1970s, when we lived without even a home phone, let alone a cell phone, during my high school and university days, I think I spent more nights sleeping outside the house than inside. I spent days at study rooms, friends’ houses, workplaces, and other offices, then came home to change clothes and go to school again. Thinking of you, mother, who must have waited for me tonight without any way to contact whether the third child would come home or not, now my heart aches with guilt.”
He also shared his longing for his parents met in a dream: “Last spring, suddenly in my dream, my eldest brother who passed away and my parents came together. When I, a high school student then, came home, they warmly welcomed me saying, ‘Welcome, it’s warm here, come lie down.’ But the place covered with a blanket was not a room but the ground. I lifted the blanket and lay down next to my late eldest brother with my parents, the four of us together. It was so warm and comfortable. When I woke up from the dream, I even thought, ‘Am I dying?’ But I don’t really think so. I guess now I finally understand the feelings of my parents who worried about me every day because I rarely came home in those days.”
He continued, “Chuseok is already approaching. This year, because of the terrible infectious disease, I can’t even visit my parents’ graves. I told everyone not to gather and that I would quietly perform the Chuseok rites at home. All your remaining children are enduring well. Even without much, the gentle strength of family is the proudest legacy you, father and mother, have passed down to us. So please put all your worries aside now. I ask forgiveness as an unfilial son to you, who spent your life with longing and worry, and I will see you again, at least in my dreams. Rest in peace. Before Chuseok 2020, your unfilial third son sends this.”
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(Below is the full letter from Head Lee Seong)
Father, Mother.
This is the first time in 20 years that I have called you by writing.
Over the long time of two decades, even when I tried to recall you on purpose, your faces were fading from my memory.
Then, from one day last spring, my eldest brother who passed away over 30 years ago and my kind parents have been coming in and out of my dreams. Now, I vividly remember my gentle parents and my eldest brother’s youthful face not only in dreams but also when awake.
My grandchildren, Hong-il and Young-il, who were middle school students when you passed away, are now in their mid-30s, married and living separately. And my third son, Ikhwan, is already 30 and will soon marry and leave home as well.
At some point, I recalled the poem “Samo-gok” (Song for Missing Mother) that you wrote, Father, longing for your own mother who passed away.
“Living to seventy-six, never once lying in a warm room... The children grew up and scattered north, south, east, and west, and the heart aches with longing, but the children do not come. Wondering if the children might come, every day looking far away, the hollow eyes grow deeper, and the eyeballs almost touch the back of the head...”
Mother, you must have worried a lot because of me, right? I used to think your heartache and stomach illness were only because of my eldest brother who passed away early, but now I realize that’s not the case. Now that the children have married and moved out, I also understand the worry and longing parents have for their children.
In the 1970s, when we lived without even a home phone, let alone a cell phone, during my high school and university days, I think I spent more nights sleeping outside the house than inside. I spent days at study rooms, friends’ houses, workplaces, and other offices, then came home to change clothes and go to school again. Thinking of you, mother, who must have waited for me tonight without any way to contact whether the third child would come home or not, now my heart aches with guilt.
Were you worried if I had a car accident? Did I eat well? How much you must have worried! Did I come home today? You must have stayed up all night startled by the distant footsteps in the alley. Did you have even one day of peaceful sleep? I regret every day that your heartache and stomach illness started because of worries about me rather than my eldest brother, and that you passed away at an early age.
Father, Mother.
In exactly 10 years, I will be the age you were when you passed away, Father.
Having passed my sixtieth birthday long ago, I am finally becoming a mature son.
Last spring, suddenly in my dream, my eldest brother who passed away and my parents came together. When I, a high school student then, came home, they warmly welcomed me saying, “Welcome, it’s warm here, come lie down.” But the place covered with a blanket was not a room but the ground. I lifted the blanket and lay down next to my late eldest brother with my parents, the four of us together. It was so warm and comfortable.
When I woke up from the dream, I even thought, “Am I dying?”
But I don’t really think so. I guess now I finally understand the feelings of my parents who worried about me every day because I rarely came home in those days.
Chuseok is already approaching.
This year, because of the terrible infectious disease, I can’t even visit my parents’ graves.
I told everyone not to gather and that I would quietly perform the Chuseok rites at home.
All your remaining children are enduring well.
Even without much, the gentle strength of family is the proudest legacy you, father and mother, have passed down to us. So please put all your worries aside now.
To you, parents, who spent your life with longing and worry, I now ask forgiveness as an unfilial son,
And I will see you again, at least in my dreams.
Rest in peace.
Before Chuseok 2020,
Your unfilial third son sends this.
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