A Month Before the Presentation, They Take the Long Way Home
With a month to go before her daughter’s presentation, a mother walks beneath the autumn leaves, unable to let go of her hand.
A month before her daughter’s presentation, a mother walks an autumn path. When hope and worry slip into the same sentence, she meets Onyu.
On a path lined with autumn leaves, the mother says her daughter’s presentation is coming up. She hopes it goes well, but can’t stop worrying. Her daughter says her mother’s worries are getting ahead of the presentation. Even in the counseling room, the mother starts choosing what to say to her daughter, then stops. Onyu asks what words she held back about the presentation, and the mother’s two feelings sit side by side before her.
When you worry about your child’s future
You can make room for hope and worry together.
What do you find yourself saying most about your child’s future?
The moment when hope for her daughter and worry came out together stays with us. Her words held both her support for her daughter and the anxiety she’d been carrying alone. If you’ve ever held back words like those, we’d be glad to hear your story too. Onyu is here to listen.
Scenes
- 01 · A Presentation on the Autumn Path On the Autumn Path — Seojin and her daughter Mina walk side by side along a tree-lined path in autumn. Mina says there’s a month left before her presentation. Mina: Mom, there’s a month left until my presentation. Seojin: I can’t believe it’s so soon.
- 02 · Worry Comes First Worry Comes First — Stepping on fallen leaves, Seojin tells Mina she’s worried about the presentation. Mina looks at her mother for a moment, then answers. Seojin: I hope it goes well, but I can’t stop worrying. Mina: Your worries come out before you even ask about my presentation.
- 03 · Choosing Her Words Words Left Unsaid — In the counseling room, Seojin starts to say she hopes things go well for her daughter, then stops. Onyu asks what else she was about to say. Onyu: Seojin, what else were you about to say after that? Seojin: I didn’t want to lead with worry.
- 04 · Feelings Side by Side The Hopeful Side — With her hands folded, Seojin says she hopes things go well for her daughter. There’s still a month to wait for the presentation. Seojin: I hope it goes well. I feel that way too. Onyu: That hope is sitting right beside your worry.
Stories by Onyu
- Onyu
- The path where she stopped to retie her shoe
- When I get home from work, my family is already doing okay.
- When we come home from work and stand in the entryway, our future feels uncertain.
- After work, I stand in the entryway, unsure where I’ll live in the future.
- When I get home and open the door, I look for that person again.
- You read over your reply to a friend on the way home from work.
- On the way home, I go to make plans with someone new, then think of them.
- I hesitate to reach out to my child first on my way home from work.