Other People Here at the temple #3

There’s one other lady who lives here most days. She sometimes goes to stay with her daughter. She’s fairly old. Maybe in her 70’s. Still quite strong. I saw her easily pick up and hold something really heavy not long ago. She’s super quiet. I used to greet her in the mornings but she never returned my greetings so I stopped. I’m not pushed out of shape or anything. I just suppose she doesn’t care for “good mornings” and I’m not so interested myself, so why bother? Actually, it’s nice so maybe I’ll start up again.

Anyway, this morning I was sweeping the leaves on the lawn when she came up to me holding a crate. I looked at her with curiosity, hoping to convey that I wondered what she was going to do with the crate, she put it down on the ground and gestured that she’d put the leaves in the crate. Expressionless communication. I understood immediately. So I swept the leaves in her direction. She gathered them by hand and scooped them up and put them into the crate. Cool.

Then a bit later she came up close to me and uttered a few things. I don’t know what language she speaks to me. (She doesn’t often say anything to me. A few days ago I understood one word out of one sentence. “Eat” in Korean. But I don’t know what she wanted to say with that sentence.) Anyhow, this morning when she came up close to me, she said something that I understood much more. I heard the Korean for “sweep” and “don’t”. But nothing else. A little while later Sunmi and her mother arrived. I told her that the old lady had said something to me, I didn’t understand, and asked if she’d go ask the old lady what she’d said. Sunmi came back a bit later and said that the old lady had told me that if I wanted to stop I could stop and rest! That’s all. Well, no, I wasn’t tired or anything. I kept on. But it was a heartwarming little encounter with this lady. There’s something about old country folk, those really laid back sort of people …. This lady’s got a quality that appeals to me.

Enough for now. Better short than long, I feel.

Troy.