RSS Feed
Print Story
E-mail Story
Market owner's daughter thanks community
LETTER OF THE MONTH
| Friday, Aug 15 2008 7:15 PM
Last Updated: Friday, Aug 15 2008 7:18 PM
I know a lot of people expect me to hate the man who took away my father's life. Isn't that the typical reaction from a daughter whose future has been irreversibly changed by the pulling of a trigger?
But even now, as I see the man's picture in the newspaper, his eyes shifty and scared, his head bowed to hide from the wrath of hundreds of people, I feel no anger. I feel no need to seek revenge. I only feel pity.
Californian readers and community members who helped us find the murderer deserve an explanation. You see, I have always been an exuberant and happy person just like my dad, Youll Kwon.
My dad was always able to see the beauty and the good in the world. I am happy that whatever that gene may have been, whatever microscopic piece of DNA that made him feel that way was passed along to me.
There are times, of course, when I truly believe the words of the famous English philosopher Thomas Hobbes who described life as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." But Thomas Hobbes wasn't acquainted with the 300 people who came to my father's funeral to pay their respects.
These were 300 people who were affected by my father's happiness and optimism. They came to cry and to pray. Three hundred people were able to tell my family and me that everything was going to be OK.
I realize now that my father's optimism and happiness came from the people who surrounded him. Those same people were the ones who responded first when they heard the devastating news that he had been shot.
They organized a vigil for him, and brought so many flowers, candles and rosaries that my father's humble store stood surrounded in a quiet beauty.
So on behalf of my family, myself and especially of my father, I would like to thank each and every person who has helped my family in any way. All the cards that were sent are sitting in front of the photograph of my father in our living room.
The images of all the candles and rosaries, the posters and notes, are stored in my mind for me to pull out when I feel the world is cruel and cold. Most importantly, thank you for all the prayers that, in my opinion, helped us to catch the accused murderer so quickly.
I understand now why my dad was able to be so optimistic, even when things weren't going well. It was because of people like those who have responded with so much compassion and warm hearts. My father couldn't help but have a smile on his face.
Thank you for being so good to my father when he was alive. Thank you for being even more so after his death.
Janet Kwon of Bakersfield is the daughter of Youll Kwon, who was fatally shot June 27 by a robber at his Honey Market on South Union Avenue. Janet Kwon will be a junior at Stockdale High School. Her Community Voices article appeared in the Opinion section on July 11. It has been selected Letter of the Month for July. Community Voices articles are expanded commentaries that may contain up to 500 words.