The Difference Between Liking and Loving

A child's innocent explanation for loving one parent "100 times more" than the other, while liking the other "normally," sets the stage for a tender exploration of affection. When asked to define the difference, the author's response, that liking involves looking at the face, while loving means noticing the eyelashes, resonates deeply.

This reflection triggers memories of the author's grandmother, who often commented on her "short but thick" eyelashes. The grandmother's gestures, like whispering that the author was her favorite grandchild or secretly giving her money, and her unique care, such as allowing the author to use the outdoor toilet, underscore a special bond. These acts provided comfort amid the author's feelings of being less favored by her own mother.

The narrative shifts to the grandmother's later years, marked by a premonition of being the first to learn of her passing. Dreams of losing teeth intensified the author's anxiety, prompting frequent visits. During one visit, the grandmother, despite her frail health and dietary restrictions, expressed a desire to buy gifts for the hospital staff, a gesture of generosity that touched the author.

A poignant memory surfaces from the grandmother's last holiday gathering. Amidst the strong aroma of sesame oil and the sharing of raw eggs with alcohol, the author observed her grandmother's rapt attention to everyone's faces. She realized her grandmother was silently bidding farewell, cherishing each moment. This realization echoed a passage from Park Wan-su's memoir, where the author felt the world's beauty acutely while facing her husband's impending death, perceiving even the wind as special.

Closing the book, the author's tears fell on the title, "Beautiful Things in the World." She recalled her grandmother's frequent endearment, "My pretty one," and understood that this deep, observant affection, down to the very eyelashes, was the essence of love. The story concludes by emphasizing that love is found in the detailed, attentive ways people see and cherish each other, especially in the face of life's impermanence.