On top of Mt. Suri 수리산 정상에서

   (written in 2003)

 Whenever I visit my eldest brother's home, I enjoy climbing Mt. Suri. My brother lives on the 25th floor of the apartment, so I can look at the whole breadth of the mountain at a glance. It takes only five minutes to get there from his home. Being at the top of the mountain makes me feel nearer to God. Whenever I go home, I say hello to my mother and then climb this mountain.

 My hardworking mother lives with my eldest brother. Her only selfish wish is to die without getting sick. She prays and helps her children as much as she can. When her children give her some pocket money, she selflessly spends all the money on her children. She is not the type of person who hoards her money in the bank for her own sake. Her hands are thick and rough from a life of working hard for her family.

 Being a member of the third order of Franciscans, she prays the Rosary and other religious prayers every day. She gets up at around 5 o'clock in the morning to pray. I always appreciate her unconditional and sacrificing love. Somebody once said the most beautiful thing in the world is the smiling face of a child. Next is a mother's unconditional love.

 It's good for her to live near the mountain. She is happy because the air is fresh and her church is very near her home. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes for her to go say Mass at church. Mt. Suri, only about 475 meters away from her home, is located in Gunpo city. Many people from Seoul visit this mountain.

 It is called Suri because it looks like an eagle flying high up in the sky. This rather small mountain has several small but scenic hiking trails with azaleas and various trees. I feel very refreshed and revived after climbing this little mountain. For me, climbing releases me from stress and tension.

 The ridge from Gamtubong and Seulgibong to Taeulbong is a long way. From each top, we can easily observe the whole city and the highway to Suwon.

 On Mt. Suri, there is a place in the north valley where St. Gyeong-hwan Choi Francisco(1805-1839) was martyred and buried. His eldest son is a famous father in the Korean Catholic church: Rev. Yang-eop Choi Thomas(1821-1861), the second priest of Korea.

 One day, I found a very young man selling ice cream on the way to Taeulbong. He said he was doing this to earn money for his university expenses. I praised his courage because it's not easy to carry the heavy icebox up to the top of the mountain. He was so proud of what he was doing to be able to stay in school. Ice cream sold well that day. One climber said that he respected the young man more than his own son who wanted nothing but a new car.

 On the way back home, I met another middle-aged man climbing the mountain alone. It seemed that he was lonely with some inner conflict. After talking with him for some time, he confessed that he was living with a woman following his surgery. He tried to pursue something spiritual and happier but said he couldn't stay committed to his search. While listening to his story, I couldn't find anything helpful to say. I felt like giving him any advice was senseless. So, I just paid attention to him and listened without making any judgments. He himself felt guilty for his lifestyle. I don't know what will become of him, but I am sure he will be much happier and more peaceful than before after talking about his anxieties.

 Climbing the mountain can offer some deep and touching experiences. It's fun to meet people along the way to the top. It's good to feel healed through nature. Also, I can have a much broader view of life and the world. Of course, I am sweating on my way up, but it's worth it. After all, I'm here in this world because of someone else's pain and sweat. Let's be grateful for one another, nature, and all creatures.

 Saying "thank you" helps not only ourselves but also the people who hear it. If we thank people, they won't forget it. And the next time around, they will be glad to be of help to us. They feel they owe us something. Thanking people cheers them up; you can see their faces light up. It makes their work lighter. They go on doing the same old job, but somehow it seems interesting and easier. The words "thank you" bear fruit immediately. When we are thanked, our first reaction is to go and thank someone else. And in that way, we start a whole chain reaction of thanks. What is particularly inspiring is the thanks from above: parents thanking children, bosses thanking employees, and teachers thanking pupils. Why is it that thanks are natural to say to a stranger and not to those near to us?

 The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ Aug. 12, 2003