En-Uk Draws on the Ozarks for Aunt Kathryn . . .

"The Ozarks"

Image by En-Uk Sequoya Hwang

My paternal Aunt Kathryn took care of me for six months when I was five years old and living in Kansas City. She and her husband had three children of their own, and we had such fun wrestling and joking and eating clam chowder -- they all had me convinced that chowder would make me as powerful as superman . . . or at least as strong as Popeye with his spinach. Those were some of my few good memories of Kansas City. I preferred the Ozarks, where I was born, and I think Aunt Kathryn did, too. I recently told how her much I appreciated that time and that I didn't recall her having any flaws, and she replied:

Thanks, I don't remember you having any flaws either. You were a good little boy and fun to have around . . .

If only I could have remained so innocent . . . but life goes on in all of its complexity as we pick up stuff along the way. We get older, too, and life eventually begins to take some of those things away. Aunt Kathryn is giving away some of the stuff that she's picked up:

Got all the legal work done and notorized. So am giving stuff to grandchildren that I want them to have. All that I can give to you is love forever and wish you and your family all the best.

That's the finest gift of all, the kind a person can give and still have for giving again. Who could wish for a more bountiful gift?

I was at your wedding and you are so right your wife is most beautiful.

Aunt Kathryn is referring to my recent description of Sun-Ae as looking stunning in her black wedding dress. But my aunt is also, more generally, alluding to something else -- if one is adept at reading between the lines -- the shortness of time. She adds:

Would have loved to have met the children -- but, I downloaded all the photos of every Ozark trip and I have good reports about them from Cran and Virginia.

I'm pleased to hear that about the kids, but I wish that there were time for them to see Aunt Kathryn.

Thanks En-Uk for the fish drawing. I hoped that you would send drawings of some of the people you met in Arkansas.

He may still do so. Meanwhile, he's sent an Ozark road, unexpectedly paved, leading between a tree and a pond, for Aunt Kathryn to enjoy on some afternoon drive this spring . . .

Thanks, Aunt Kathryn, for everything . . .