The day I published my first blog (which was titled, And the Journey Begins…) my good friend and fellow “book clubber” Stacy sent me this poem. Reaching out like that was such a thoughtful gesture, and the poem is so spot on.
It articulates how my grandmother must have felt as she set out to change our family’s destiny, and it certainly tells how I feel about my decision to become a published author.
See if it speaks to you too, and leave me a comment below. I’d love to see what you have to say.
Thanks Stacy!
The Journey – By Mary Oliver
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice–
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.
First of all my husband and I are so proud of our beautiful daughter in law. She is as lovely in person as she is in the accompanying pictures. By her sensitive writing she has truly captured and honored the generational story of her family…one that reflects the challenges of many immigrant families, but is uniquely her own history.
The poem by Mary Oliver reflects that subtle truth, that everyone’s journey is unique and is undertaken and shaped by one’s own circumstances. The Kwon family story is as much about confronting cultural and emotional journeys as it is about geographical adjustments and transitions. Our family has gained so much appreciation of “the journey” by having Rosa and her family in our lives.
Thanks Mom! You capture the story so well and I love the words “geographical adjustments and transitions” because it describes what Mark did too relocating from the East coast to the West coast to begin our married journey. I appreciate your constant encouragement and support of this book project over all these years! It’s finally happening!
And here I thought you were just another pretty face… ;). Can’t wait to keep reading and learning about my newest blog master girlfriend!!