Wonderful coincidence! 멋진 우연의 일치!

Confession

Even though I am so weak
That I am not whole in many ways
There is neither fear nor regret

For there is the endlessly generous love
That accepts and accompanies me as I am
Like a faithful guardian angel

For there is peace smiling constantly
Even if I lose my soul from time to time
And become a wanderer departing for a thousand miles

Where would be such a great miracle!
Where would be such an amazing gift!
Where would be such an overwhelming sharing!

I will sing from now on
Letting smiles in full bloom always everywhere
I will share the beautiful love of God

I came to Singapore with a sentimental but inspiring and challenging spirit. I was happy and joyful to start my new life as a missionary in a foreign country. In fact, leaving my country and my religious community refreshed and strengthened my life.

Along the path of our lives, we experience coincidence or contingency from time to time. We neither plan nor begin with certain intentions from the beginning, but ultimately something interesting happens. What a coincidence that is!

My first name, “Aeran,” my e-mail address, “orchid,” and the national flower of Singapore coincidentally connote the same meaning of orchid. The first name that my brother gave me when I was born means “lovely orchid,” so the orchid became my favorite flower and I chose that as my e-mail address. I’m fond of the noble and colorful features of both Western and Eastern orchids. I especially like the ‘Pungran (Sickle Neofinetja)’, which endures a hard life to give birth to the most simple but lofty flower.

I didn’t know before that I would come to Singapore someday. When I first came here, I realized Singapore is full of various kinds of orchids in full bloom, both in the streets and in the gardens, which are very precious and expensive in Korea.

Whenever I go around here in Singapore, various orchids and flowers greet me in a most friendly and warmhearted way. The Western orchid named “Vanda Miss Joaquim” was first found by Agnes Joaquim in her garden in 1893. It was chosen as the national flower of Singapore in 1981.

The orchid is not deeply rooted in the ground but is usually attached to a branch or trunk of a tree. Nevertheless, it grows and survives while absorbing moisture and nutritious elements from the air.

Each root is so closely interrelated that they embrace and sustain each other firmly. In some way, the life of the orchid is related to Singapore, which heavily relies on trade and tourism.

This intimate and close interrelationship symbolizes the unity and collaboration of Singapore as a multi-racial and multi-cultural society. It also reveals the will to cooperate as a country heavily dependent on the import of daily necessities due to its lack of natural resources.

Such an interrelationship is probably the reason for being alive most gorgeously in spite of hanging in the air as if living upon something. In a close relationship lies an inner power for coexistence, compliment, and collaboration. Don’t you think our globe survives because of this intermingled relationship? 

 https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2022/04/162_132303.html?fa

The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ 19 March 2013