Before the winter comes

I heard the cold snap hit the entire Korea, freezing people’s life and everything.

As we are in the midst of frigid winter, I come to think of the winter of our life. We have lived quite a lot of days- 60 years young or around 22,000 days in which we have gone through 60 winters so far. How many more winters can we see? Is it fair to say one’s longevity solely depends on his health? I don’t think so, it varies depending on what we are doing now. No one knows what happens to him in 5 minutes later.

I can’t pin down when, but unbeknownst to my sense, death has come to me not that
far away, no more an uncomfortable topic. Our kids have worried about us as we did
to our parents. Are we officially included into a group of the elder in society? Or are there still some years left until then?

Anyway, we all agree winter comes to every one of us for sure. Therefore, there are
some indispensable things to do before winter comes. Of course, everyone has
different value, situation and thought. I know all of us are considerate and discreet enough to do the right things. I want to emphasize what we should do right now, something not put off till tomorrow, before winter comes to us.

Love one another. I know ‘saying I love you’ to others may be not comfortable for us, it may be the last thing in the world to do for someone. But it is not that difficult to say ‘I love you’, rather a matter of habit. Love your most precious wife first, then your kids and your friends, and others, and even more say it every moment available. I think there is never enough for loving somebody. We should love one another more and more every day. We have not that many days left for loving somebody. Nothing can give us endless joy than love someone.

Forgive and reconcile. If there are someone we can never forgive, it is I not he who
have no peace in mind. As long as one has no peace but hate, he may hurt himself
mentally, evolving into detriment to our health. How lovely the world would be if we first give our hands to those who need love and want to restore the broken relationship. Forgiving someone and being forgiven are free from the shackles which have suppressed our life and minds so painfully and so long. Reconciliation between us is a beautiful thing which retrieves our relation as well as our minds so that we can enjoy the refreshing friendship.


Do and challenge the new areas together. It can be a health-related exercise, a
religion, a study, community services, travel or anything meaningful. Like the old
saying, a rolling stone gathers no moss, we should be busy doing valuable and
pleasant things together.

We must do these kinds of foremost things to do before winter comes. Let’s be wise
and warm-hearted men. I love you guys, from LA 2009.12.21