This is a photo I took in my parents’ garage on March 3, 2007. The photo shows some of the gardening tools that my parents use to care for their yard. Included are various rakes, a pair of worn gloves, some clippers, a bulb chart taped with duct tape to the wall, hangers, and the top of a step ladder. There are assorted other things in there like a piece of PVC pipe, a mop, and some assorted wires.

My parents save just about everything and I’m always amazed how creative they are in finding new uses for even the most ordinary things that others would just throw away. Why buy something new if you can re-use something you already have? Of course, this thinking also leads to a house full of things!

I wrote about this in an article for Discover Nikkei: A Yonsei’s Reflections…on Unearthing My Family’s Values