Kathreb

Personal note: Have I been in Korea too long and subconsciously adopted a strong sense of filial piety? Perhaps I'm a precognitive Buddhist. What lends to these ethical and religious meanderings in my mind.....my *#$!@ sister.

On the best of days I find her barely tolerable and remain content in the fact that I rarely ever have to see or speak to her. But more recently, I have been endeavouring to bridge this gap, albiet slightly, in light of the fact that she had become pregnant. I sent e-mails, postcards, even called on her birthday....okay I was blackmailed by my Mother to do that one. But now she has gone too far. She told my parents NOT to come and visit when the baby is due because "they want to have time to be their own family"!???! Overlooking the fact that a multitude of HIS relatives live in the same town as them and will no doubt be visiting and HIS sisters and brother would NEVER have been told so rudely to keep away, lets consider other implications of this. First, if the grandparents on the mother's side can't come does that also extend to me and other immediate family members? I would assume so. Second, does she even have the right to deny the opportunity to be there for their very first grandchild?

But I think what strikes me most is that any human being could purposefully and determindely say something like that in full knowledge of how much it would deeply hurt them. Where is the respect for family, the filial piety and common decency towards those closest to us?

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