Dear Shine

Dear Shine,

Hey man, how yah doing? It's Uncle Leif here, just putting a time capsule on the Internet, hoping that one day you'll read it. It's almost your second birthday. You were born on May fifth, which, as you probably know, is Children's Day in Korea. I thought it would be mighty swell to tell you about what's going on right now so that you could look back on this and compare what's happened with what's happening.

Your awesome family :)

First of all, you should know that I've known your parents for more than two years, since before you were born. I took over your dad's classes at his first job in Korea as an ESL teacher at Ivy School, a private school for elementary and middle school students. Your dad and I have a lot in common. Both our dads were in trades, and we are both only children. Since we met, your dad went on to work in a public school for a while and then became a University professor. Your parents helped me get a job in a public school and found me a nice place to live. They've helped me so much since I've been here, and I feel very fortunate to have them in my life.

 Just hanging out

Your parents are seriously excellent individuals. Your mom is a brilliant person, an educated and worldly teacher, interpreter and traveler. Your dad goes out with me and we have awesome conversations. They invite me over to have dinner, hang out with you and play games like Monopoly and Axis and Allies. On your first birthday I played a song for you, and when I was done you started crying uncontrollably. Since then, I have become a better guitar player, just for you, man.

Another thing about us that I hope you'll pick up on is that we are trying to influence the world to be a better place. Your parents have a thorough knowledge of history, cultures, society and politics. We're all working on something big: to make the world a safe and bright place for people to live in. A world where you are judged on the content of your character, like in that famous speech. It can be difficult having a Korean mom and an American father in places where people think having a mixed-ethnic background is wrong. I pray this will not always be the case. 2013 is not an end; it is a beginning.

Now what do you think you're thinking about?

If we haven't succeeded, you need to know something, straight from the laptop of Uncle Leif. Having a mixed-ethnic background doesn't make you any less of a person than anyone else. I know your parents well enough to know that by now, they've given you the opportunity to learn new languages, see different countries or experience different cultures. Maybe there are people who will try to make you feel ashamed of who you are. These are people who haven't woken up yet. It might be easy to want to hate them, or hate yourself because of what they've said. But: "Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."1 Just know that you are strong, and no matter what anyone says, your uniqueness makes you powerful.

This is what the people fighting the good fight do: we acknowledge our roots but also find out as much as we can about our surroundings. Welcome to the world, my man. It can be a scary place, but still it is filled with beauty and mystery. There's so much to do, and so much to learn. I see the determination in your eyes whenever I visit, and I know that you have an incredible experience waiting for you out in the world.

Let freedom shine,

Uncle Leif.


1: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, August 28, 1963.