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[An Essay from My Heart] A Day of Contemplation Beginning in the Backyard

2026.03.21

[An Essay from My Heart]


A Day of Contemplation Beginning in the Backyard



When I wake in the morning, I am first greeted by a quiet stillness, before the world has fully awakened. That silence feels like a pause—like taking a breath before turning the first page of a new day. I quietly open the door and step into the backyard.


As the cool air brushes against my face, I become vividly aware that I am alive. In that moment, both my body and mind accept that today has begun, different from yesterday.


Standing in the backyard, I gaze at the distant mountains. Their long, stretching ridgelines remain in the same place, yet each day they wear a slightly different light and expression. Within that subtle change, I try to sense the direction of my day.


The mountains say nothing, and perhaps because of that, they seem to say even more. They gently remind me not to rush, and not to waver.


Turning my head, my eyes naturally rest upon the seventeen pine trees. These trees have lived through time alongside me.


When I first moved here long ago, they were small. I still remember how they trembled in the wind, as if they might break at any moment.


Now, they stand with dignity. Their thickened trunks and widely spread branches bear witness to the depth of time they have endured.


Though they resemble one another, each tree holds its own distinct form. In that way, they mirror human lives—similar, yet uniquely shaped.


As I look at them, I find myself asking: How much have I grown, and how much more must I grow?


The green of the pine trees remains unchanged through all seasons. That constancy sometimes comforts me, and at other times becomes a mirror for self-reflection.


Through the harsh winds of winter and the blazing heat of summer, they preserve themselves. Their presence feels like a silent embodiment of resilience.


In one corner of the backyard, the forsythia blooms. In spring, it is the first time to awaken the world with its bright yellow light.


Nearby, the magnolia reveals itself more slowly, yet with quiet elegance. Each white petal unfolds like a refined thought, calm and composed.


The maple tree carries yet another sense of time. Now its leaves are ordinary, but one day they will turn red, speaking of the deepening of the season.


Thus, every living thing in the backyard follows its own timetable. There is no haste, no comparison—only its own rhythm.


As I watch them, I reflect again on what it means to live. Perhaps to live is to change continuously, while never losing oneself.


Though each day may seem to pass unnoticed, there is an invisible accumulation within it. Just as trees grow, so too does our life deepen, little by little.


This backyard is not merely a space for me. It is a place of contemplation, a small school where I learn the meaning of life.


Each day, I ask questions there, sometimes returning without answers. Yet I realize that the very act of questioning is already a form of understanding.


Before going back inside, I take one last look at the mountains and the trees. They remain silent, yet they have already spoken enough.


And quietly, I make a promise to myself—to live this day as they do, steadfast and sincere. ***


March 21, 2026

At Sungsunjae (崇善齋)

{Solti}


한국어 번역:  https://www.ktown1st.com/blog/VALover/348663

日本語 飜譯: https://www.ktown1st.com/blog/VALover/348665


 


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