My in-laws, who live in Arizona, came to visit. They used to come twice a year, during the kids' summer break and around Christmas, but now it’s down to just once in the summer. This is because traveling has become quite strenuous for them due to their age.
The reason they can’t live here, where all their children are, and instead stay in Arizona, which is nearly a six-hour flight away, is solely due to my father-in-law’s asthma. In New Jersey, where we live, his asthma symptoms are severe and cause him great discomfort. However, as soon as he lands in Arizona, his asthma symptoms disappear completely. For him, the dry climate of Arizona is like paradise.
Yesterday (Sunday), we had breakfast at our house with my mother-in-law. My eldest daughter, who lives with us, as well as my second and third daughters, joined us. My eldest son also came. They all made a point of visiting their grandparents from Arizona. Despite their busy schedules, they make time to see their grandparents, viewing it as a natural and joyful obligation. This is true not only for our children but also for our nieces and nephews. They even arrange visits to Arizona to keep their grandparents company.
My second daughter diligently sends emails in her broken Korean to keep them updated. My in-laws have five children, all of whom are devoted to their parents. Naturally, this attitude is passed down to the grandchildren. The siblings are very close. All five live within a five-minute radius, which speaks volumes about their bond.
One of my brothers-in-law went to pick up my mother-in-law from my eldest brother-in-law's house, but when he entered the house, she was nowhere to be found. She had gone to check the garden before coming inside. My mother-in-law has a unique talent for growing flowers and vegetables. Even plants that seemed to be dying bloom vibrantly under her care.
The backyard of her house in Arizona is a garden filled with flowers and vegetables. There are fruit trees like lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange, along with various flowers, and vegetables such as lettuce, crown daisy, green onions, and even melons. The plants she tends to grow robustly and healthily.
Although her children are grown and no longer need her care, her exceptional farming skills likely played a role in raising them as well. She would have diligently weeded, removed withered leaves, and watered them morning and evening to ensure they grew well. She probably set up supports for the pumpkin vines to grow properly. Just like the vines, her children grew up strong and healthy.
Yesterday, four generations sat at the breakfast table: my mother-in-law, my wife, our eldest daughter Soyoung, and Soyoung’s eldest daughter Sehee. Through shared meals, conversations, and daily life, time weaves history, and I hope my mother-in-law’s farming skills continue to be passed down. Her art of farming is none other than care and love.
After breakfast, during a lively conversation, my mother-in-law quietly disappeared. My father-in-law, who hadn’t been able to join us for breakfast due to a golf game with my brother-in-law, came to pick her up. Despite searching the house, she was nowhere to be found, nor was she in the garden. She was on one side of the deck, picking up something. It seemed that while we were away, a strong wind had knocked over the deck's parasol, breaking a glass jar. Worried that her great-granddaughter might hurt her feet playing barefoot on the deck, my mother-in-law was picking up the glass shards we hadn’t noticed.
Her ever-watchful eye, ensuring no harm comes to us, is also part of her 'art of farming.' During the week we were away in New Orleans, over ten pumpkins the size of my fists had grown in the garden, and about fifty peppers had reached nearly a hand’s length. It seems my wife is also becoming a skilled farmer, learning from her mother’s 'art of farming.'
