dylan with his favorite 'papa' harabuji grandpa and harmony grandma, learning the finer points of drumming (dylan's about a year old in this picture).
how do you tell a two-year old that someone they love dearly is sick, ill, getting old? how do you relate to them that when people get older, they won't always be here? this is one of the challenges i'm facing as my dad, dylan's grandpa 'harabuji' in korean, has been hospitalized and is very ill.
and when i underestimate or assume how much dylan knows or doesn't know since he's still a baby, he crawls up to me, and puts his hand on my face; he starts to trace an imaginary stream of tears going down my face, and says to me, 'papa. doc-tor. doc-tor.' and then i realize he understands every word and emotion that you can name.
do you understand why mama is sad? i ask. 'um-humm.' he says. 'papa is very sick right now, do you know this? 'umm-hmm,' he says again and again, not releasing his hug. and this breaks my heart, down to my very bones.
we are wishing our 'papa' well right now. we, as well as dylan, love him very much.
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