Coming Home Again
by Chang Rae Lee--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yes, I made a big mistake. You
should be with us for that time. I should never let you go there.”
“So why did you?” I said.
“Because I didn’t know I was
going to die.”
Coming Home Again is a story that describes the tense, yet loving relationship between a mother and her son. The mother's health is ailing while the son is away at boarding school, and the entire story ultimately centralizes around the mother trying to bond with her son in her dying years.
One part of the story that I found particularly sad was how the mother continuously tried eating food in front of her family, while everyone knew that she could not stomach it. It showed that she was legitimately trying to make an effort, just to appease her family, when she knew that it would inevitably fail and that she would not even be able to swallow the food.
The primary channel of bonding between son and mother is their shared interest in cooking. Throughout his childhood, the son would stand right next to his mother and watch her every move while she cooked. It interested him and he would often ask her questions about her methodology. However, after going to boarding school and returning, his education changed him and he forgot many of the little things that his mother taught him, such as which spices to use and when.
Seeing her in her decrepit state, it pains him to forget such little tidbits of knowledge. It seemed to me that the overarching theme of this story is never to take what you have for granted, as the son does. It is important to being present and engaged with your loved ones for as much time as you possibly can, because you never know when they'll disappear from your life forever. As is mentioned in the quote I begin this blog post with, the mother regrets not spending more time with her son. Despite the fact that going to Exeter in New Hampshire educated her son more, it took precious time that she could have spent with him away from her.
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