Memento mori

     Have you heard about the word, memento mori? It’s quite familiar to most of you. It came from the Latin word meaning ‘remember the death.’ There is a story for this saying: in ancient Rome, there a Roman general parading through the streets during a victory triumph and behind him was his slave. The slave warned him although the general is at his peak today, tomorrow he could fall.

 

 "Respice post te! Hominem te esse memento! Memento mori!":

"Look behind you! Remember that you are a man! Remember that you'll die!"

     It kind of connects with Carpe Diem, it points out that humans have limited life so that we need to seize the day. In Korea, there is a similar saying: ‘Today is the day that somebody (who died yesterday) desired.’ You cannot guarantee anybody’s life or even yours. So we must be gratitude for still living. Moreover, I want to add another meaning of ‘memento mori’: Remember the death of those who sacrificed for us and for the nation. We should always be grateful for our lives because if it wasn’t them, we wouldn’t be living now.

     In Korea, they celebrate the Memorial Day on June 25^th. On that day, they put their national flags outside the window and go to the National Memorial Board and pay a silent tribute. We must never forget them and it is our turn to secure the young adults from sacrificing in wars. We should do something to bring peace to the world and repay for their blood.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_mori

Is the Unification of Korean peninsula going on?

Is the unification of the Korean peninsula is going on or indefinite future?

Recently,  Many TV programs of South Korea are bring spotlight onto North Korea. Only a few years ago, we couldn't trust all of rumors about North Korea. Because source of rumor was kept a close secret.

However, Now, we can hear real news from North Korean defectors on TV. There are 26,483 of North Korean in South Korea (Ministry of Unification). I have North Korea friend either. So i asked her what i have been curious and got answers.

 

Some of rumors were true, some of them were exaggerated. But, important thing is that i didn't know well about North Korea even though I've hoped the unification of Korea Peninsula.

What is happening in Korea now is they started to learn about each other. Does it means Unification is happening or not?

A few months ago, i saw a woman defector of North Korea on TV. She said many North Koreans are watching South Korean drama secretly which is illegal. They like south Korean culture and their style have been in fashion in North. The unity of culture started.

Culture is a powerful means of accomplishing unification and peace.

If you look it up meaning of culture,

it is people's mind.

If you are not the person who are eligible to decide unification by law, what will you do for it?

When we have same mind and thoughts, it becomes a path to unification and peace.

What kind of culture is it? World peace will be achieved by new, beautiful, peaceful and heavenly culture.  

I asked one of my Germany friend, "When do you think unification of Korean Peninsula will be? His answer was, "Maybe not in our generation."


We are still young and we still have many chance to change it. I want to work with youth who have same culture such as 'We can change it whatever it is!'

Eventually, Peace is depends on people's mind.

A Korean War veteran, Man-Hee Lee

     Korea was a nation where is divided by South and North after the independence in 1945. The North got a military support from the Soviet Union and reinforced the military. On July 25^th 1950, the North Korean army ambushed South Korea. It was a tragic fratricidal war for Koreans. The situation was totally unfavorable for South Korea, but the UN supported South Korea and sent armies. 16 countries including US sent the army. South Korea had a narrow escape and got back some of the region of the Amnok river. However, the war continued for over 3 years. In this war, many young people even students attended as soldiers and sacrificed. Chairman Lee was also a Korean War veteran. He was at the front line of the battle and experienced the bitterness of war, so he made himself a promise to end all the war in the world and stop the sacrifice of young men; and became a peace activist. He erected a memorial stone of declaration of Korea unification at the Unification Observatory and in Imjingak. Every year, he celebrated the Memorial Day in June 25^th and prays for the repose of the soul of the victims. He is a true patriot and a peace lover. He never stops peace activity and service to the nation.

<The memorial stone of the Declaration of Korea Unification>

Share! We live in one Village!

 

 

 

 

 

 There was a book about the world we live in. It was written by David Smith, it is called, “If the World were a village.” If in the world, there are only 100 people living, what will it be like? By reading this book, we can realize that we are the parts of a big great place and there are also many people who we live with. Not only I but also the earth and the world are a very important place to live in. We can realize that living together is the way to win all problems. There are many people, culture, religion and many other things that the environment made humans. In this kind of background, this is why there are so many types of all sorts of things. None of them is right or wrong. Everything is precious just as it is.

 

 The real world itself has 68 hundred million people who live now. This book also speaks about population, language, food and also the future and past. When I was reading, the mention about the foodstuffs made me think about the reality in the world today. It is written like this.

 

 In the world village, there is also stuff to eat not only the stock. Wheat, rice, been, and vegetables… in a word, in the village the foodstuff doesn’t lack. If the food is shared equally there will be no one to starve. But the people don’t share the food. 30 people occasionally starve. 17 may starve to death. Like this, 47 out of 100 are hard to find food to eat. The other 53 can at least eat their meals frequently.

 

Although this is just a book about a village but it shows us the reality and tells what we should know. It is like a wake up call for the people. There are people who need help. If I only see for myself, I can only complain with the things that I don’t have. But you know there are people who are in the worst and bad situation then me. Be thankful for what you have and if you can let us share the love to who needs it.

 

 People are shouting peace, peace, peace. But who is really acting for peace? By caring the ones who need our help in this world, even though it is a very small thing, change can happen. Be the one who really care. As you know, action speaks louder then words.

 

Together we can do so much!

    

 

     In the little prince novel, there comes a chapter of a story of the blind and the elephant. In this chapter, it says “If there is an elephant and lots of the blind feel the elephant by their hands what animal will each one think?” The blind who touched the ear of the elephant, the blind who touched the tail, and the blind who touched the nose spoke a different animal each. It is like this in the world. Some people can see only the parts of the world. Because we are in a big society, and with only our eyes we can see little. But if the little meets little by little, it can become a big power that the view has. Like this, everything in the world, there are parts of role that each person does. But if the part meets and gathers into one, the parts can make a big picture out of it. Like this, everyone has a important role in this world, but will have great power if they are together. Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” With a help and a kindness help from others a total different conclusion can come up. And if this power is used to work for goodness and peace in this world, a massive change it can make. Are you misserable about the person who you are? Well, look around yourself. Find who needs your help. Although the help maybe little, it can make a big change.

 

 

 

 Picture source: Global Citizen

Buddha’s peace theory

   

<Siddhartha Gautama>

     Since today is the celebration of Buddha’s Day (May 6^th), I want to share about the origin of Buddhism. Buddhism was started by Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of Kabila kingdom, about 3,500 years ago. Back then, the ancient society was formed by caste system. Siddhartha has seen lots of unfair situations such as rankism, rich-poor gap, and corruption. He questioned himself what is the true happiness in life? How can people be free from suffering and find eternal happiness? Even though he was a prince, he was just a human who also wondered about the way to live in peace like us. He tried to find the answers and left home. He began to practice his asceticism and became Buddha, meaning "awakened one" or "the enlightened one." Gautama taught a Middle Way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the Sramana(renunciation) movement common in his region. He believed that the “emptiness” in our mind brings a true happiness because suffering started from obsession, if people want to get rid of obsession they need to get rid of their wants. 

     Then, according to Buddha’s teaching, let’s see how war started. It is not the soldiers who started the war; it was always started from the bosses who fight for their profit. So eventually, “wants” were the main reason that brought suffering. In some part, I agree. It is our desire that makes us unhappy for many times. But is it possible for people to not wanting something? Then, what is the solution for ending the war? It is impossible to stop the war by stopping the opponents by force. According to a peace advocate Man-Hee Lee, most wars happened between religions. Even terrors were mostly from religious conflict. So, the religions need to be in reconciliation and respect other religions.

Photo source:http://www.faithinterface.com.au/apologetics/happiness-buddha-vs-jesus
Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha

What is stronger than nuclear weapon?

What is stronger than nuclear weapon?

I’ve never seen such a passionate old man in peace movement. How could he visit all over the world and encourage people for his age? My grandmother is over 80years like Man Hee Lee but she can’t move very well.

What Man Hee Lee is doing makes me think a lot. How much are you doing in your efforts for meaningful work like bringing about peace as a youth? He entered Mindanao in Philippines which is still battle was going on without gun. My Filipino friend said she also didn’t expect that peace to come in Mindanao. The leader of Catholicism and Islam signed the peace agreement for ending the war and achieving World Peace with Chairman Man Hee Lee of peace advocate.

What I’ve always wanted to do was protect the global beautiful nature and environment. But, when I thought of that, if there’s no more war, environmental disruption will decrease. If we make the world a peaceful place, environmental disruption for selfish indiscriminate development will decrease. PEACE is economy, policy and reality.

One of his words moved my heart. What is stronger than nuclear weapon? The hearts of people who try to achieve peace in the world will be stronger than nuclear weapon. It’s clear that he is a peace advocate we need.  

He also asked journalists about their important mission. Every international media has to report about peace to achieve it fast. In an effort to do so, I‘m blogging about peace.  

Only those who have gone through the ravages of war know how precious peace is. It's like only those who have gone through communism know how precious democracy is. We should never forget how precious peace is. Let's have a mind to achieve peace which is stronger than nuclear weapon!

Yellow Ribbon Campaign

     In Korea now days, the image of yellow ribbon is widely spread among people. Most of the people put the image of yellow ribbon in the messenger. Why is this happening and what meaning does the yellow ribbon has?

     Recently, Korea went through a sad news about more than 200 people got drowned in the sea by the cause of a ship breakdown. The news was heartbreaking to all citizens so they started so called, ‘Yellow Ribbon Campaign’ in a hope for safe return of the survivors. You can also see from the history, back in the World War II, the US citizens hung the yellow ribbon around the branch and waited for the army to come back home safely. There is also a song about yellow ribbon from Tony Orlando called, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon “Round the Ole Oak Tree,” and in the US army, the popular marching song is called “Round Her Neck She Wears a Yeller Ribbon":

'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon,
She wears it in winter and the summer so they say,
If you ask her "Why the decoration?"
She'll say "It's fur my lover who is fur, fur away.

     The sad story behind the yellow ribbon makes my heart ache. I wish you join the yellow ribbon campaign until they ALL come home. This kind of event seem small thing but it is very important, when people gather their hearts together it will eventually spread through the world. and move other people's mind too. World peace works the same way, when people truly want peace, their hearts will move other people.  

Photo source:http://yellowribbonprisonrun.sg/be-part-of-the-giant-yellow-ribbon-formation/

Search 'people's mind'

 ‘Search’

The youth of nowadays, like to search instead of contemplations.

Using smartphone and computer have become a way of their life. They don’t contemplate and they do just search. They do homework through searching. They find restaurant to have a meal with friends through searching. Without searching, we can’t shop online and love

However,

“impression through watching evening glow”

“wonderness of birds flying”

“miracle of blooming in dead branch”

Search on the internet.                 

It’s like you can’t measure the heart beating in front of the person who you love.

Search on the internet.

“sorrow of death” “joys of life”

Search on the internet about the ocean last summer, when you and loving friend ran hand in hand the beach.    

It would say nothing.

A few months ago, I met some of friend who is hard working on part-time job to provide tuition fee for university and living expenses. He was spending his time like there aren’t enough hours in a day for class, report, learning Korean (to understand Korean lectures) and working. I was sorry to say him, “Why don’t you participate in Peace Walk together in Seoul?” and I really didn’t expect that he would join with Peace Walk. Because he looked like he doesn’t have enough time for unexpected event. But, he says, “Yes” and he would like to be a part of it. Besides, his country has gone through the war so he hopes the peace in this world.

All of us have mind wish for peace. However, you can’t search about most important people’s minds. You will see what is the true mind until meet and talk. You can’t get the result through searching like people’s minds to achieve peace. Let’s restore trust through people in person not the searching on the internet.     

Children’s Day

     Do you see children as a human being and respect their characters? Or do you just see them as troublesome children who don’t have any maturity to take care of themselves? Honestly, I never thought of the importance of children. In Korea, there is a word that ‘children are the future leader of the society.’ To let the children to give hopes and dreams, and hoping them to grow wisely and bravely, they celebrate Children’s Day on May 5th.

     After the Independence movement on March 1st, a man named Bang Jung-Hwan started to celebrate Children’s Day starting in 1927 in order to implant national consciousness to the children. It stopped in 1939 under the pressure of Japanese government during Japanese colonization. Then, started again in 1946 after Korea was independent. In 1970, Children’s Day became the official national holiday.

     Since Children’s Day is coming, what will you do on that day? It is a holiday but it is important to think about how will I implant national consciousness to the children, and since it is a global world, not only about their own nation but we should also implant global consciousness. Moreover, teach them to love their nation and the whole world. Most importantly, they should learn the importance about world peace-no discrimination by races, religion, and nation-and let them know how to live in harmony with other people around the world. Just by saying these words, the children will grow up as a global leader. Let’s try to say to the kids for this time shall we?:-)

Photo source: http://www.imagesbuddy.com/img/children-day/page/12/