The shawl in the first image was a gift for Linda from a long-ago grateful student whose name Linda didn't remember, just that she was from Korea.
Linda loved the shawl, wearing it around her shoulder during the chilly months. The shawl was with her in the hospital where she died on January 5, 2025.
Two days ago, I unexpectedly unearthed an intriguing card with tiny glitter. Today I found a silvery, wrinkled bag tucked in a drawer with a note with five lines of text taped at the top:
Dr. Linda Hickson
Thank you for the help!
God Bless
Joy
Hope this shawl keeps you warm
The message inside the care, dated 01/25/2007, and addressed to "Dear Professor,"was written in a lovely script:
This shawl is a small present for you. I truly wanted to do something special for you. Otherwise there seemed no way to express my gratitude.
After spending agonizing days of searching something special, I reached my sister-in-law for help. She has excellent hand skills. Understanding my feelings for you, she assured me that she used the best of her best skills and the best of best Italian wool on this shawl. You can put in on your lap too. Just in case that you cannot find any use of it for yourself you can give it to someone special to you.
My only wish is that you accept my gratitude and enjoy it.
I am sorry that the material requires extra care washing. You may need it dry-cleaned for the first several times.
2007 is a year of pig that symbolizes prosperity and abundance. I added a small pig inside. It just symbolic, you know.
Language is s limited that I cannot say enough how grateful I am to you. Moreover I am not an English speaker!
Professor, thank you very much for being my advisor and for everything you have done for me. You will be forever my advisor who I look up to and who I want to be like.
May I say "I love you?'"
Grateful heart & prayer. Sun Young Ryu
(Note: I plan to locate Sun Young Ryu and tell her what her shawl meant to Linda.)
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