coming back to our senses

from the temple grounds, overlooking a sea of concrete...in kate's words, "it's just so wrong." i find myself becoming a bit desensitized as the weeks go by, which comes with living in that sea of concrete, 10 floors above the earth. thank goodness, as soon as i step foot on the mountainside, i return to my senses. i return to my bones and flesh, earth and trees, to temples and soft breezes, pine needles and clouds. i fall madly in love all over again with nature, with what is real; it all comes flooding back into my body, into my heart.
when i leave korea, i think one monumental thing this experience of living in a concrete jungle with forever flashing neon lights and the constant sound of music blaring, announcements over a loud speaker or south korean fighter jets flying overhead, is that a simple, quiet life lived near the earth is one of immeasurable value. and that it is one i want to live.resting from the humid heati seldom see bugs or insects of any kind in korea, but here is a whoppin' hornets' nest. i guess they feel safe at the temple...kate trying to get the best possible angle on that wickedly huge nestbeautiful...kateonly in korea would there be a near-full length mirror half way up the mountain hanging from a log! you must remember, it is commonplace to see women hiking these mountains in heels, dressed in their sunday's best. men too! well, not heels, they wear their business suits with shiny loafers. i can barely make it up there in my hiking boots. there's something i must be missing.