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Book Introduction
- A word from MD
-
A Spring Day of Comfort from Sister Lee Hae-inIn the age of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone is feeling isolated and anxious.
Sister Lee Hae-in talks about life, death, and love.
Sister Hae-in, who prays that we realize the value of everyday life and be happy in every moment.
This is a collection of prose and new poems she has written over the past three years.
As always, her writings will be a great comfort to everyone.
March 1, 2022. Essay PD Kim Yu-ri
“As I live, I realize that there are people
“You walk beautifully with love.”
For you who live in an age of anxiety and depression
A comforting poem letter from Sister Lee Hae-in
Includes over 30 new poems!
Fifty-four years after making her first vows, Sister Hae-in, now 77 years old and known as Hee-su, offers a letter of comfort and poetry for us living in an age of anxiety and depression.
During these difficult times, we have gained strength to live by reading Sister Hae-in's writings.
Now, more than ever, when we need true comfort and blessings, and at this moment when we long for the warmth of those around us due to continued social distancing, Sister Hae-in Lee presents us with a book like a flower heralding the arrival of spring.
Poems and writings that are as beautiful and fragrant as flowers on a spring day with a light green breeze blowing warm our hearts that are still frozen even when spring comes.
The poems and essays in this book were written during the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in November 2019.
The rapidly changing aspects of our lives that we could not even imagine, but the heart of Sister Hae-in, who sought to learn lessons and find hope in them, is fully reflected in the writing.
Part 1 contains more recent poems, some of which have been published in print but not in print; Part 2 contains poetry letters serialized in daily newspapers; and Part 3 contains various commemorative poems and writings.
And in Part 4, I included some of my diary notes from the past year, where I wrote down my daily life.
Poet Na Tae-ju, a fellow liberation poet, wrote in his recommendation, "Ah, how long, how many moments, even unbearable, have we endured, endured, waited, yearned, and lived with a heart-fluttering love, all while reading Sister Understanding's writings! I am grateful that through your prayers, we have received so much comfort, blessing, and healing every single moment of every day."
This book, "Like a Petal," filled with love, will give us the hope of waiting for spring flowers.
“You walk beautifully with love.”
For you who live in an age of anxiety and depression
A comforting poem letter from Sister Lee Hae-in
Includes over 30 new poems!
Fifty-four years after making her first vows, Sister Hae-in, now 77 years old and known as Hee-su, offers a letter of comfort and poetry for us living in an age of anxiety and depression.
During these difficult times, we have gained strength to live by reading Sister Hae-in's writings.
Now, more than ever, when we need true comfort and blessings, and at this moment when we long for the warmth of those around us due to continued social distancing, Sister Hae-in Lee presents us with a book like a flower heralding the arrival of spring.
Poems and writings that are as beautiful and fragrant as flowers on a spring day with a light green breeze blowing warm our hearts that are still frozen even when spring comes.
The poems and essays in this book were written during the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in November 2019.
The rapidly changing aspects of our lives that we could not even imagine, but the heart of Sister Hae-in, who sought to learn lessons and find hope in them, is fully reflected in the writing.
Part 1 contains more recent poems, some of which have been published in print but not in print; Part 2 contains poetry letters serialized in daily newspapers; and Part 3 contains various commemorative poems and writings.
And in Part 4, I included some of my diary notes from the past year, where I wrote down my daily life.
Poet Na Tae-ju, a fellow liberation poet, wrote in his recommendation, "Ah, how long, how many moments, even unbearable, have we endured, endured, waited, yearned, and lived with a heart-fluttering love, all while reading Sister Understanding's writings! I am grateful that through your prayers, we have received so much comfort, blessing, and healing every single moment of every day."
This book, "Like a Petal," filled with love, will give us the hope of waiting for spring flowers.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Recommendation
Poet's words
One petal.
The scent of sunlight
In front of the mirror
confession
The new face of time
Rainy Day Love Song
The scent of sunlight
The house I saw in my dream
Happiness Diary
Hospital diary
Like a single petal
Like a poem
A gift from pain
Memories Diary
Mother's resident registration card
The Gift of COVID-19
Diary of a Day 1
Selfish prayer
Monastery Diary 1
Monastery Diary 2
Saying thank you
letter
What kind of diary
Closing one's eyes
Diary of a Day 2
Vacation Thoughts
After the typhoon passed
A Letter to a Spider
November's Love Letter
New Year's Prayer
Even if the map is cracked
Share your heart and add friends
Two petals.
A letter opening with poetry
In the wind of March
March Wind
How to Love a Tree
One Day's Thoughts 1
One Day's Thoughts 2
Why is that, we
Dasan's words
Beautiful appearance
What happiness
What kind of resolution do you have?
The road to peace
July is filled with the fragrance of gardenia flowers
One day after the rain
Words of a Dead Man
The Duty of Love
Today's happiness
silence
I love empty bottles
View from behind
Lessons from the wounds
Year-end postcard
December is
Flower of Forgiveness
What we say every day is
On the road
I to me 1
I to me 2
A small wish
Three petals.
The scent of longing
August Prayer
Sad prayer
Longing grows like wild grass
Remembering Hermann Hesse
Prayer Letter
Greetings of love
To Haemi
Tears of Parting
I'm sorry, thank you, I love you
A journey back to being myself
We are friends like clothespins
To St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon
On the endless road of love
Stay still
A happy life with many pleasant thoughts
Four petals.
Little notes in life
Find a poem
Poet's words
One petal.
The scent of sunlight
In front of the mirror
confession
The new face of time
Rainy Day Love Song
The scent of sunlight
The house I saw in my dream
Happiness Diary
Hospital diary
Like a single petal
Like a poem
A gift from pain
Memories Diary
Mother's resident registration card
The Gift of COVID-19
Diary of a Day 1
Selfish prayer
Monastery Diary 1
Monastery Diary 2
Saying thank you
letter
What kind of diary
Closing one's eyes
Diary of a Day 2
Vacation Thoughts
After the typhoon passed
A Letter to a Spider
November's Love Letter
New Year's Prayer
Even if the map is cracked
Share your heart and add friends
Two petals.
A letter opening with poetry
In the wind of March
March Wind
How to Love a Tree
One Day's Thoughts 1
One Day's Thoughts 2
Why is that, we
Dasan's words
Beautiful appearance
What happiness
What kind of resolution do you have?
The road to peace
July is filled with the fragrance of gardenia flowers
One day after the rain
Words of a Dead Man
The Duty of Love
Today's happiness
silence
I love empty bottles
View from behind
Lessons from the wounds
Year-end postcard
December is
Flower of Forgiveness
What we say every day is
On the road
I to me 1
I to me 2
A small wish
Three petals.
The scent of longing
August Prayer
Sad prayer
Longing grows like wild grass
Remembering Hermann Hesse
Prayer Letter
Greetings of love
To Haemi
Tears of Parting
I'm sorry, thank you, I love you
A journey back to being myself
We are friends like clothespins
To St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon
On the endless road of love
Stay still
A happy life with many pleasant thoughts
Four petals.
Little notes in life
Find a poem
Detailed image
Into the book
When life is hard
I think of a rainbow
One day on the veranda with the nuns
We looked up and cheered together
rainbow in the sky
I don't usually smile much
Even the expressionless nuns
Just smile brightly that day
I was amazed
When my life lost its exclamation point
When I think of the rainbow exclamation
Become happy
--- p.50 From "Lee Hae-in's Poetry - Diary of Memories"
What we've all come to realize through this experience is that no one can survive alone; we are all deeply interconnected, and therefore have a responsibility and duty to care for one another. Only when we each do our part, with warm words and sincere actions, toward the common good, can our daily lives gradually find their proper place.
We often see ourselves spreading depression through our frustration and whining, not realizing how foolish it is to constantly blame, resent, or act selfishly.
I believe that this difficult time will eventually pass.
We all stand up in hope, and as the rust-colored wind of March whispers, we quietly clasp our hands together, urging us to move forward.
--- pp.109-110 From "In the March Wind - The March Wind"
Please forgive me for being so sensitive to the insignificant pain and sorrow of others, while being a passive bystander to the immense pain and sorrow of others.
Please give me the courage to take the initiative in the work of love that I have been putting off, hoping that someone else will take the lead.
So, please help me to stay awake and make every effort today so that my selfish times can be transformed little by little into altruistic times in love.
--- p.128 From “Why Are We Like That”
I, too, strive to be a hidden angel of love, bringing small joys to others. These are meaningful days amidst the ordinary, filled with many thoughts! Instead of being able to go outside, I'm going inward, reflecting on myself, and slowly relearning how to be considerate of others. Today, I find gratitude, recognizing that this is one of the gifts of the COVID-19 lockdown.
--- p.140 From “Beautiful Appearance”
We've all probably had the experience of the dead appearing in our dreams, asking us to pray or receiving messages telling us to live harder while we're still alive.
Whenever I have such experiences, I reflect on whether I have ever truly loved with all my might, forgiven with all my might, and prayed with all my might on the path of daily life.
Creating small moments of love and joy in our daily lives is not something grand, but rather the courage to cross from selfish sensitivity to a little bit of altruistic sensitivity.
--- p.148 From “What Happiness - What Decision”
When I miss my late mother, older sister, older brother, and dear friends and neighbors so much, I often find myself foolishly muttering to myself, "Couldn't I ask the owner of that country for permission to come here for a day of vacation?" or "Or maybe he'll appear to me often in my dreams?"
When I speak to the silent, fading figure of time, it seems to advise, "Well? Just live each moment with renewed gratitude," and "You don't have as much time to love as you think, so love more and don't delay forgiveness."
--- p.197 From "Looking at the Back"
As I reread this piece I wrote sometime ago, I hope to gain the courage to embrace and love whatever pain comes my way in the future.
I can confess that although it was unbearably painful at the time, after it passed, I was able to view the wound as a fragrant medal, like a flower.
So that I can say that I have gained happiness by accepting the pain as a part of life and being more grateful.
--- p.204 From “Lessons from Wounds”
This morning, I'm drinking a cup of plum tea while reading a passage I jotted down in my diary from a January day 20 years ago as a new mission statement.
A flower of hope quietly blooms in my depressed heart.
“In the end, loving people anytime, anywhere is so important and so difficult.
“While we live in this world, we must love people, and we must become friends with the powerless, the sick, and the weak, the people Jesus Christ always gave priority to.”
--- p.243 From “Small Wishes”
When we hate someone without reason and forgiveness is difficult, when endless greed blooms as if it will live forever, let us look up at the white clouds in the sky and lighten ourselves.
Let's set out again and become the white cloud angels, the white cloud path that spreads heavenly love to everyone.
I respect and love you for being a romantic poet, yet not easily swayed by sentimentality, and for consistently maintaining your own firm philosophy of life, objective truth, and religious beliefs.
--- p.264 From “Remembering Hermann Hesse”
Even if it's too hot to move, you have to read books without stopping.
If you put down a book, you will soon become an empty person.
We lose the inner strength to deal with trials and tribulations.
I also need to warn my body, which often wants to rest.
'Please stop whining and just stay still.
Just hold on a little longer!'
In the summer heat, people in the community become sensitive to the smallest things.
'There are bigger things in the world, but why are we doing this?' We need the courage to laugh at ourselves and move on.
I think of a rainbow
One day on the veranda with the nuns
We looked up and cheered together
rainbow in the sky
I don't usually smile much
Even the expressionless nuns
Just smile brightly that day
I was amazed
When my life lost its exclamation point
When I think of the rainbow exclamation
Become happy
--- p.50 From "Lee Hae-in's Poetry - Diary of Memories"
What we've all come to realize through this experience is that no one can survive alone; we are all deeply interconnected, and therefore have a responsibility and duty to care for one another. Only when we each do our part, with warm words and sincere actions, toward the common good, can our daily lives gradually find their proper place.
We often see ourselves spreading depression through our frustration and whining, not realizing how foolish it is to constantly blame, resent, or act selfishly.
I believe that this difficult time will eventually pass.
We all stand up in hope, and as the rust-colored wind of March whispers, we quietly clasp our hands together, urging us to move forward.
--- pp.109-110 From "In the March Wind - The March Wind"
Please forgive me for being so sensitive to the insignificant pain and sorrow of others, while being a passive bystander to the immense pain and sorrow of others.
Please give me the courage to take the initiative in the work of love that I have been putting off, hoping that someone else will take the lead.
So, please help me to stay awake and make every effort today so that my selfish times can be transformed little by little into altruistic times in love.
--- p.128 From “Why Are We Like That”
I, too, strive to be a hidden angel of love, bringing small joys to others. These are meaningful days amidst the ordinary, filled with many thoughts! Instead of being able to go outside, I'm going inward, reflecting on myself, and slowly relearning how to be considerate of others. Today, I find gratitude, recognizing that this is one of the gifts of the COVID-19 lockdown.
--- p.140 From “Beautiful Appearance”
We've all probably had the experience of the dead appearing in our dreams, asking us to pray or receiving messages telling us to live harder while we're still alive.
Whenever I have such experiences, I reflect on whether I have ever truly loved with all my might, forgiven with all my might, and prayed with all my might on the path of daily life.
Creating small moments of love and joy in our daily lives is not something grand, but rather the courage to cross from selfish sensitivity to a little bit of altruistic sensitivity.
--- p.148 From “What Happiness - What Decision”
When I miss my late mother, older sister, older brother, and dear friends and neighbors so much, I often find myself foolishly muttering to myself, "Couldn't I ask the owner of that country for permission to come here for a day of vacation?" or "Or maybe he'll appear to me often in my dreams?"
When I speak to the silent, fading figure of time, it seems to advise, "Well? Just live each moment with renewed gratitude," and "You don't have as much time to love as you think, so love more and don't delay forgiveness."
--- p.197 From "Looking at the Back"
As I reread this piece I wrote sometime ago, I hope to gain the courage to embrace and love whatever pain comes my way in the future.
I can confess that although it was unbearably painful at the time, after it passed, I was able to view the wound as a fragrant medal, like a flower.
So that I can say that I have gained happiness by accepting the pain as a part of life and being more grateful.
--- p.204 From “Lessons from Wounds”
This morning, I'm drinking a cup of plum tea while reading a passage I jotted down in my diary from a January day 20 years ago as a new mission statement.
A flower of hope quietly blooms in my depressed heart.
“In the end, loving people anytime, anywhere is so important and so difficult.
“While we live in this world, we must love people, and we must become friends with the powerless, the sick, and the weak, the people Jesus Christ always gave priority to.”
--- p.243 From “Small Wishes”
When we hate someone without reason and forgiveness is difficult, when endless greed blooms as if it will live forever, let us look up at the white clouds in the sky and lighten ourselves.
Let's set out again and become the white cloud angels, the white cloud path that spreads heavenly love to everyone.
I respect and love you for being a romantic poet, yet not easily swayed by sentimentality, and for consistently maintaining your own firm philosophy of life, objective truth, and religious beliefs.
--- p.264 From “Remembering Hermann Hesse”
Even if it's too hot to move, you have to read books without stopping.
If you put down a book, you will soon become an empty person.
We lose the inner strength to deal with trials and tribulations.
I also need to warn my body, which often wants to rest.
'Please stop whining and just stay still.
Just hold on a little longer!'
In the summer heat, people in the community become sensitive to the smallest things.
'There are bigger things in the world, but why are we doing this?' We need the courage to laugh at ourselves and move on.
--- p.342 From the "Diary of July 20, 2021"
Publisher's Review
As I live, I see people
Walking beautifully with love
Carrying the weight of a painful life on your back and pretending nothing happened
Sometimes I see their faces walking by smiling
I can't face it right away
There are times when I want to hide and pretend not to know
Late spring day, falling carelessly
With the weight of one petal, with the prayer of one petal
My loved ones who keep me up at night
We've known each other for so long that we don't need to talk anymore
Cover their names with flower petals
I will take it to heaven
- Lee Hae-in's poem "Like a Petal"
“I’m alive and it’s spring again.
The flowers are starting to show their faces little by little… … ”
Again, singing love with flowers
Many of the titles of books published by Sister Hae-in Lee include the word "flower," such as "Flowers Scatter and Longing Gather," "Like Flowers That Speak with Their Fragrance," "Like Leaves Appear After Flowers Wither," and "Like Camellia Flowers When Blooming and When Withering."
Sister Lee Hae-in said that she had intended to avoid flowers for the title of this book, but she chose “Like a Petal” as the title because it is the poem that best represents the dreams and words she has been holding in her heart these days.
In this poem, which sings, “With the weight of a single petal that falls carelessly on a late spring day/ With the prayer of a single petal/ Those I love who keep me awake/ I’ve known for a long time/ Their names that no longer need words/ I’ll cover with petals/ And take them/ All the way to heaven,” we can feel the infinite love of Sister Hae-in toward us.
I must love those who are having a hard time first.
I need to start by comforting the person who is crying.
While I'm alive/ anytime, anywhere
I must become the rain that moistens the dryness
No, even after I die, I want to become a single drop of rain
- From Lee Hae-in's poem "Love Song on a Rainy Day"
Fear of aging and death,
But still with the joy of being alive
Sister Lee Hae-in begins her introduction with a story told to her by a junior nun.
“Whenever I go somewhere and tell people about the nun, they ask if she is still alive.
“I guess it’s because of the fake news that was circulating a few years ago.” Looking at the new poems included in Part 1, there are many poems that deal with themes of aging and reflection on death.
In the poem “In Front of the Mirror,” the author says, “It’s been a very long time/ and I stand in front of the mirror/ and my heart is still/ seventeen,/ but my face is full of wrinkles/ and there stands a nun in her seventies.” In “The House I Dreamed of,” the author says, “These days, I often/ think of those who have moved/ from earth to eternity/ and I long/ with a little fear/ for the day when I too/ will enter that house.” In “Diary of Happiness,” the author honestly confesses the fear of death that everyone has, saying, “I suddenly wonder how/ I will leave this happy world/ for the next world/ and then console myself/ thinking/ that there must be even greater happiness/ waiting for me/ in that country/ and I laugh and laugh again...”
In her essays as well as in her poetry, Sister Hae-in expresses her thoughts on death several times.
“These days, perhaps because of the difficult and depressing circumstances, I often contemplate death, both in my life and in my dreams.
“In the convent yard, lilacs and magnolias are now in bloom, and the season of resurrection has begun, so we are preparing to wear white clothes, but all I hear is news of pain and sadness, so my heart is heavy and depressed.” However, Sister Hae-in Lee overcomes her fear of death with the joy she finds in being alive.
“In Front of the Mirror” concludes the poem with “Today too/ I am alive happily/ Birds outside the window/ Sing cheerfully/ Calling me!” and in “The New Face of Time,” the poem dreams of the hope that can be had because it is alive, saying, “Time is always alive/ and comes with a new face/ It doesn’t say that it is a pity/ that it goes quickly/ and that it is vain/ It will come again with a new face/ I, who am alive, will say with a smile/ Every day I wake up/ I wear the clothes of hope/ that time gives me/ and put on the shoes of hope/ and meet people of hope/ If you believe in hope, hope comes/ Even sadness becomes hope.”
After a long rainy season, I went out to the yard and hung out my laundry.
The first time I met/ The silence of sunlight/ The scent of sunlight
I was so ecstatic/ I almost went blind
Once again/ The joy of being alive/ The hope of breathing
I keep laughing again and again
- From Lee Hae-in's poem "Scent of Sunlight"
In the era of the coronavirus pandemic
A ray of hope
Part 2 contains articles that were serialized in daily newspapers over a period of two years, from December 2019 to December 2021.
The serialization period coincides with the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, which has swept the world.
Naturally, Sister Hae-in Lee's writing reveals the changes in our lives due to the coronavirus.
Above all, writing about the relationships between people that have changed due to social distancing and self-quarantine gives us insight into our lives together.
Sister Hae-in Lee, who says that times like these make her feel even more that she cannot live alone and that we are all closely connected, says, “The more I live, the more I realize that to make each day a flower garden, to make fragrant laughter bloom between people, it takes deep patience and strong willpower to control oneself.”
Poems about friendship, such as “Thank You” and “Letter,” remind us of the importance of the person who has always been by our side in a reality where we cannot meet each other as naturally as before.
While we are alive in this world/ we just
Let's live for a long time/just saying thank you
Love and friendship/ peace and prayer contained in these words
Let's make it into a flower that never withers
Let's make it a star that won't give up even after death
My dear friend
- From Lee Hae-in's poem "Thank You"
We offer advice to those who feel depressed while living in the prolonged COVID-19 era, which no one could have predicted.
Still, being able to appreciate the joy of living in the sunlight and meeting the eyes of loved ones is a gift from COVID-19.
He advises that happiness is not found only in grand things, but can also be found by realizing the value of things we take for granted in our daily lives.
When asked when she feels particularly happy, Sister Lee Hae-in answers that every moment is exciting, and describes her life as "a happy life with many enjoyable thoughts."
Even if more difficult things come, / I must not give up hope / I made a resolution today as well
A sweet herbal candy/ in your mouth/ opening the window
How to turn this moment's small joy into a gift
There are many fun things to think about
- From Lee Hae-in's poem, "The Gift of COVID-19"
Like a fragrant flower petal announcing the arrival of spring
A collection of writings by Sister Hae-in that will warm our hearts.
『Like a Petal』 contains not only pure poetry or essays, but also writings that fully capture Sister Hae-in Lee's thoughts and life.
Part 3 contains various commemorative poems and writings, including a poem wishing for peace on the Korean Peninsula, a poem commemorating the victims of the Cheonho-dong fire, words of encouragement for the survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster, and writings honoring Father Kim Dae-geon, poet Ku Sang, teacher Park Wan-seo, professor Jang Yeong-hee, and Hermann Hesse. Part 4 contains a selection of writings written in 2021 from Sister Hae-in Lee's diary notebook, which records her daily life.
Poet Na Tae-joo said, “Poet Sister Lee Hae-in is a person who gives us great comfort and blessings just by her existence.
How difficult and breathless is our life day by day?
“On days when I look around and see no helping hand coming from anywhere, when my legs feel tired, when I think of the nuns’ poems and writings, I feel a small determination and hope to keep living,” he says.
To us who are silently enduring the exhausting and difficult times caused by COVID-19, "Like a Petal," which arrived with spring, is not a spring that comes as a change of seasons, but a gift full of hope that brings back the spring in our hearts.
Walking beautifully with love
Carrying the weight of a painful life on your back and pretending nothing happened
Sometimes I see their faces walking by smiling
I can't face it right away
There are times when I want to hide and pretend not to know
Late spring day, falling carelessly
With the weight of one petal, with the prayer of one petal
My loved ones who keep me up at night
We've known each other for so long that we don't need to talk anymore
Cover their names with flower petals
I will take it to heaven
- Lee Hae-in's poem "Like a Petal"
“I’m alive and it’s spring again.
The flowers are starting to show their faces little by little… … ”
Again, singing love with flowers
Many of the titles of books published by Sister Hae-in Lee include the word "flower," such as "Flowers Scatter and Longing Gather," "Like Flowers That Speak with Their Fragrance," "Like Leaves Appear After Flowers Wither," and "Like Camellia Flowers When Blooming and When Withering."
Sister Lee Hae-in said that she had intended to avoid flowers for the title of this book, but she chose “Like a Petal” as the title because it is the poem that best represents the dreams and words she has been holding in her heart these days.
In this poem, which sings, “With the weight of a single petal that falls carelessly on a late spring day/ With the prayer of a single petal/ Those I love who keep me awake/ I’ve known for a long time/ Their names that no longer need words/ I’ll cover with petals/ And take them/ All the way to heaven,” we can feel the infinite love of Sister Hae-in toward us.
I must love those who are having a hard time first.
I need to start by comforting the person who is crying.
While I'm alive/ anytime, anywhere
I must become the rain that moistens the dryness
No, even after I die, I want to become a single drop of rain
- From Lee Hae-in's poem "Love Song on a Rainy Day"
Fear of aging and death,
But still with the joy of being alive
Sister Lee Hae-in begins her introduction with a story told to her by a junior nun.
“Whenever I go somewhere and tell people about the nun, they ask if she is still alive.
“I guess it’s because of the fake news that was circulating a few years ago.” Looking at the new poems included in Part 1, there are many poems that deal with themes of aging and reflection on death.
In the poem “In Front of the Mirror,” the author says, “It’s been a very long time/ and I stand in front of the mirror/ and my heart is still/ seventeen,/ but my face is full of wrinkles/ and there stands a nun in her seventies.” In “The House I Dreamed of,” the author says, “These days, I often/ think of those who have moved/ from earth to eternity/ and I long/ with a little fear/ for the day when I too/ will enter that house.” In “Diary of Happiness,” the author honestly confesses the fear of death that everyone has, saying, “I suddenly wonder how/ I will leave this happy world/ for the next world/ and then console myself/ thinking/ that there must be even greater happiness/ waiting for me/ in that country/ and I laugh and laugh again...”
In her essays as well as in her poetry, Sister Hae-in expresses her thoughts on death several times.
“These days, perhaps because of the difficult and depressing circumstances, I often contemplate death, both in my life and in my dreams.
“In the convent yard, lilacs and magnolias are now in bloom, and the season of resurrection has begun, so we are preparing to wear white clothes, but all I hear is news of pain and sadness, so my heart is heavy and depressed.” However, Sister Hae-in Lee overcomes her fear of death with the joy she finds in being alive.
“In Front of the Mirror” concludes the poem with “Today too/ I am alive happily/ Birds outside the window/ Sing cheerfully/ Calling me!” and in “The New Face of Time,” the poem dreams of the hope that can be had because it is alive, saying, “Time is always alive/ and comes with a new face/ It doesn’t say that it is a pity/ that it goes quickly/ and that it is vain/ It will come again with a new face/ I, who am alive, will say with a smile/ Every day I wake up/ I wear the clothes of hope/ that time gives me/ and put on the shoes of hope/ and meet people of hope/ If you believe in hope, hope comes/ Even sadness becomes hope.”
After a long rainy season, I went out to the yard and hung out my laundry.
The first time I met/ The silence of sunlight/ The scent of sunlight
I was so ecstatic/ I almost went blind
Once again/ The joy of being alive/ The hope of breathing
I keep laughing again and again
- From Lee Hae-in's poem "Scent of Sunlight"
In the era of the coronavirus pandemic
A ray of hope
Part 2 contains articles that were serialized in daily newspapers over a period of two years, from December 2019 to December 2021.
The serialization period coincides with the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, which has swept the world.
Naturally, Sister Hae-in Lee's writing reveals the changes in our lives due to the coronavirus.
Above all, writing about the relationships between people that have changed due to social distancing and self-quarantine gives us insight into our lives together.
Sister Hae-in Lee, who says that times like these make her feel even more that she cannot live alone and that we are all closely connected, says, “The more I live, the more I realize that to make each day a flower garden, to make fragrant laughter bloom between people, it takes deep patience and strong willpower to control oneself.”
Poems about friendship, such as “Thank You” and “Letter,” remind us of the importance of the person who has always been by our side in a reality where we cannot meet each other as naturally as before.
While we are alive in this world/ we just
Let's live for a long time/just saying thank you
Love and friendship/ peace and prayer contained in these words
Let's make it into a flower that never withers
Let's make it a star that won't give up even after death
My dear friend
- From Lee Hae-in's poem "Thank You"
We offer advice to those who feel depressed while living in the prolonged COVID-19 era, which no one could have predicted.
Still, being able to appreciate the joy of living in the sunlight and meeting the eyes of loved ones is a gift from COVID-19.
He advises that happiness is not found only in grand things, but can also be found by realizing the value of things we take for granted in our daily lives.
When asked when she feels particularly happy, Sister Lee Hae-in answers that every moment is exciting, and describes her life as "a happy life with many enjoyable thoughts."
Even if more difficult things come, / I must not give up hope / I made a resolution today as well
A sweet herbal candy/ in your mouth/ opening the window
How to turn this moment's small joy into a gift
There are many fun things to think about
- From Lee Hae-in's poem, "The Gift of COVID-19"
Like a fragrant flower petal announcing the arrival of spring
A collection of writings by Sister Hae-in that will warm our hearts.
『Like a Petal』 contains not only pure poetry or essays, but also writings that fully capture Sister Hae-in Lee's thoughts and life.
Part 3 contains various commemorative poems and writings, including a poem wishing for peace on the Korean Peninsula, a poem commemorating the victims of the Cheonho-dong fire, words of encouragement for the survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster, and writings honoring Father Kim Dae-geon, poet Ku Sang, teacher Park Wan-seo, professor Jang Yeong-hee, and Hermann Hesse. Part 4 contains a selection of writings written in 2021 from Sister Hae-in Lee's diary notebook, which records her daily life.
Poet Na Tae-joo said, “Poet Sister Lee Hae-in is a person who gives us great comfort and blessings just by her existence.
How difficult and breathless is our life day by day?
“On days when I look around and see no helping hand coming from anywhere, when my legs feel tired, when I think of the nuns’ poems and writings, I feel a small determination and hope to keep living,” he says.
To us who are silently enduring the exhausting and difficult times caused by COVID-19, "Like a Petal," which arrived with spring, is not a spring that comes as a change of seasons, but a gift full of hope that brings back the spring in our hearts.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Publication date: February 28, 2022
- Format: Hardcover book binding method guide
- Page count, weight, size: 368 pages | 590g | 140*207*25mm
- ISBN13: 9788946422056
- ISBN10: 894642205X
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