Choi Eun-ju
One scorching day, on my way home from work, a handcart piled high with scrap paper caught my attention. A white-haired elderly woman was struggling to pull it, her small frame barely managing the heavy load. Her sun-darkened, thin legs and frail figure spoke quietly of a lifetime of struggle. I found myself wondering what she might be thinking, whether she had eaten, and before I knew it, tears welled in my eyes. The image brought my own mother to mind, and I called her, forcing a bright voice to check in.
A few days later, I saw the elderly woman again. I pulled out a cold banana-flavored milk from my bag and handed to her with a greeting.
“Oh my, you shouldn’t have . . .” she said.
“Here, drink it while it’s cold, ma’am,” I told her.
“Thank you . . . Thank you,” she replied softly.
The elderly woman smiled and thanked me repeatedly, and I bowed my head several times in return. Her quiet, previously unreadable demeanor made her heartfelt gratitude for such a small act of kindness all the more moving, and I could not help but lower my head in respect. After walking a short distance, I turned to watch her back, and my heart ached once again.
There were days when life’s weight left me utterly drained, as if my body might sink deep into the earth. I wonder—if someone had glimpsed my weary back at that time, would it have struck them the way hers did on me?
Yet now, even though the weight of life I bear has grown heavier, I move forward with strength and hope, sustained by the abundant grace and love of our Heavenly Father and Mother.
I give thanks to God for comforting my weary soul and filling it with hope for heaven. I am grateful, too, that even in times of hardship, I am not alone, for faithful brothers and sisters walk beside me. Truly, there is nothing for which I cannot give thanks. Just as a warm cup of tea softens the bite of a harsh winter, I long to extend a hand to those weary from life, wandering without direction, or carrying emptiness in their hearts. May they feel the love and comfort of our Heavenly Father and Mother and walk together toward the kingdom of heaven.