Harim Kim/Week 3/Tuesday 11 am

My Grandfather's Funeral

 

When I was a toddler, my day care center was my grandparents' house since my parents were too busy to take care of me during the daytime. My grandparents who loved their granddaughter so much were more than happy to look after me everyday. That's why I miss my grandfather this much. Without their help, my early childhood would have been much tougher. 

 

My grandfather-my mom's father- was an English teacher at a nearby high school all his life. I still remember him reading an English book, or trying to talk to me in English. My grandfather passed away when I was a high school freshmen. One day, there was a phone call from mom and it was still during class ; I knew something was wrong. I felt somewhat strange. Through the phone I could hear my mother's voice tremble. My grandfather passed away that day.

 

I wore black clothes that mom gave me. I also put on a white ribbon on my hair. At the funeral hall, many relatives were there and I waited for the funeral to start as I looked at the back of my cousin, who was holding the old man's picture frame. In Korea, there is this tradition to visit the place where the deceased had lived at a funeral. We also went to my grandparents' house with his framed picture. It was then when I started to burst into tears as we opened the gate and went inside of the house. Before then, I guess I could not realize the death of my beloved grandfather. At the funeral, many relatives and guests were there to mourn for the deceased. As I wandered slowly in the funeral hall, my eyes were wide-open since I always thought the funeral was something much more quiet and the atmosphere was beyond my past imagination. It was also surprising that people were busy talking to each other since I could not think of a word to say with the mountain of sadness in my mind. So I asked my mom, " How could they look as if they're not sad? " Mom replied,  " It is better to send the deceased with a smile, rather than with tears." I could not understand the meaning at that time, but now I know quite exactly. "He was a decent man - a greatman who knew how to love people. " My uncle whispered, and everyone around him nodded including myself. 

 

The memory of that day is quite blurry. Maybe that's because I was crying most of the time during the entire funeral. It was like I was looking at an scenery with my eyes submerged in water ; tears fell off. All of my reminiscences with my grandfather when through my mind like a flash. That day, I was sad but I also got a lesson that my beloved ones could leave from me forever. After the lesson, I try to express more about my mind to my family and friends. My grandfather, who loved me like no one gave me a precious message even through his funeral.