I often meet beautiful people while taking a walk. People who enjoy walking usually look simple, calm, generous, and free.
Some people are afraid of walking alone in the mountain, but I notice the faces of hikers are cheerful, bright, and lively. They are willing to greet one another and encourage others to go up. Surely walking in nature purifies and heals us.
Just before the first day of the annual retreat this year, I had time to take a walk after lunch. I greatly enjoyed walking on and on without thinking of anything in the fresh air.
Very devout and faithful Catholics pray with a rosary even while walking, but I simply walk and appreciate the mysterious power of nature. Whenever I walk, I experience that everything, especially negative feelings and thoughts, passes away and is renewed. In this way, I just become united with nature and I am grateful for its beauty.
Along the way, I came to climb a little stippled ridge and took another line of the mountain path. Finally walking down, I found quite an unfamiliar path leading to Jinbat Village in Munmak, Gangwon Province. I couldn't but walk on and on, for I was too far away from the village where the retreat house was.
On the way to the highway, I noticed many places attracting travelers, such as an art museum, a book museum, and a dyeing facility. It was interesting to find that Jinbat Village has a 300-year history.
I walked almost four hours that day and couldn't but hitchhike on the road. I believe guardian angels and the Holy Spirit always take good care of me. Happily, I came across a very polite gentleman who accompanied me up to the retreat house in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. I still remember his kindness and appreciate beautiful people being around. There are so many people with goodwill and generosity in the world.
While acting as an apostolate by means of social communications, I often meet people with warm-hearted love. Almost every weekend I, with other colleagues, visit various Catholic churches with book exhibitions.
We usually perform a 15-minute play during the homily to share the truth that God is always with us with the most merciful love. When there are eight Masses on Saturday and Sunday, it means we perform the same play eight times.
After lunch on Sunday, I usually take a walk instead of taking a rest or a nap. One day, I walked fast because it was drizzling, and a gentleman approached me with cheerful and hearty greetings.
"Hi, sister. Where are you going so fast?"
"Oh, how are you? I'm just walking along the stream."
"I just attended the eleven o'clock Mass and was deeply touched by your play. I cried and found that many people near me also cried while watching."
"Oh, is that so? I'm so glad to hear that. In that way, I think people can be healed and purified. People can experience God's love in that way."
Then, he gave me his large umbrella and took my smaller one. All of a sudden, he took off his mountain climbing boots and suggested I put them on.
"It's not good for you to have wet feet. Please put on these shoes. I can walk barefoot. I'm so happy to do that for you."
I denied his kindness several times, but he was really willing to make the sacrifice. I was embarrassed to be treated like that, but I couldn't fail to accept his kindness. He even said our encounter was something like meeting Jesus along the way to Emmaus.
So while walking together, we enjoyed talking freely and walked quite a long way. He was pure, honest, kind, and simple.
Looking at him walking barefoot, I began to think that God would surely love us like that. With generous love, sacrifice becomes a joy when sharing. God really loves us in this way, giving everything to others and still being happy and joyful.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2012/05/137_110059.html
The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ May 2, 2012
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