A lot of Thanks in May

In May, everything changes to green. Fresh green leaves all around. The green bush with colourful wild flowers on the street. Enclosed with this full green world, people seem to get warmer and more generous in May.

(A lovely trail from home to Ansan peak, 10 mins away from home)

May 5th is the Children's day. Every child is regarded as a king at home at least in the day. A special event ? Sure, if not, they would have complained they could not enjoy the Children's day without an exciting event till the next year. Gifts? Absolutely, it's a nice chance to get what they really want to have in a year. The nuclear family system makes everyday a children's day, I mean childrens are the center of the families these days(in most case, not in all families), but on the day, we need to care kids more.

My wife and I prepared some books for the elder son, and a riding toy for the little daughter. My son wished Thomas Train set at first, but it seemed obvious that he would play with it in less than a month, so we tried to persuade him not to want it at all. As a result, Bob the Builder story books, Magic School Bus books and Toad Parr's picture books were the present and luckly he liked them very much. For my daughter is too young to understand what a gift or present is , so nothing we prepared, but my wife gave her a little riding toy days later. I believe, however, it might not be important what the presents were. I didn't remember at all what I had on every Children's day when I was a child. A memory of a pleasure would be fine and enough.

May 8th is the Parents' day. The case is the opposite. All the parents are regarded as the most honorable existences in the world and all offsprings pay attention to them with gratitute for their parents' impayable efforts.(in normal case, but not exactly in all/most families in this abrupt world..) An Event? Usually visiting and calling. A gift ? A carnation bouquet is a must.

(Four Paper Canations my son made for his grand-parents and parents)

We visited my parents the day before and had dinner with them without a gift, and they might have been disappointed anyway. My wife and I called to my wife's parents. Just a call. In fact, we had discussed about the gifts for parents, but not concluded unfortunately. Really sorry about that. In that we couldn't prepare some gifts in time as well as in that we couln't make them happy for just a day in a year. Thinking about parents, is always depressed me: I'm not a good son, and not a good son-in-law. The worse is I'm not trying to be a good..

May 15th is the Teacher's day. One more thanks in May. Events? Yes. Students are preparing a surpring party at their class. Graduates are preparng or being invited to the home-coming day party. Gifts? Usually Carnation bouquets, but not serious presents.

In this year, most schools were temporarily closing to avoid the gifts(for being free from bribes by the government guideline). Thus, my kids didn't go to kindergarten due to the funny and ridiculous guideline. As for me, I should have joined in the home-coming party, but missed due to the backache.

To thank or to appreciate is one of the most wonderful things the human beings are able to do anyway...