Books recommended by Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan

“I hope this book will comfort our weary lives,
I think it will give me the strength to get through today.”

35 solid life lessons learned from trees by tree doctor Woo Jong-young.
The author is a tree doctor who has been caring for sick trees for over 30 years. He has revived thousands of trees, from the sick trees in the city struggling to survive each day to the very oldest trees.
He says that he learned from trees the precious and solid wisdom of life that people miss out on in their busy lives.
From the indifference with which it abandons everything it has and endures the winter with its bare body, from the consistency with which it blooms and bears fruit every year no matter how difficult it is, from the fortitude with which it accepts the unfortunate fate of having to live in the same place for the rest of its life, it is said that it has learned all the values ​​of life that it should know.
This is because trees are the oldest living creatures in the world and they live wisely and intelligently in the present moment without harming anyone.


This book introduces about 30 trees and conveys solid life wisdom learned through the characteristics and survival methods of trees such as Yeonriji, Haegeori, and Gokji.
It contains the hope that it will comfort the hearts of those who are tired, and that we will become friends with the trees that have always been around us but have been neglected, and regain the green leisure.
“If you ever feel like life is hard, I recommend that you pretend you’re being fooled and go find a tree.
“Trees will surely soothe your weary heart.” Finally, the author hopes that through this book, more people will come to care for trees, and that a world will be created where there are no more sick trees, even if it means losing their livelihood.
This is a special edition published in 2001 to commemorate the book's 20 years of success, selling over 100,000 copies and receiving the love of readers.

Some people say they learn about life under an overpass, while others say they learn about life from young children.
In that sense, I learned about life from trees.
From the aloofness with which it abandons everything it has and endures winter with its bare body, from the consistency with which it blooms and bears fruit every year no matter how difficult it is, from the fortitude with which it accepts the unfortunate fate of having to live in the same place for its entire life, and from its willingness to live together with all living things on this earth, I have learned the values ​​of life that I truly need to know.
--- From the "Prologue"

That's what it was like when I was forty.
Forty years have passed by in a flash without me having done anything, and when I look back, all I see is a blank sheet of paper. Even in that midst, I feel anxious as if I have to hurry on my way, and I feel like the age of forty is somehow not a good fit for me…
I think it was only then that I realized that life needed a little comma to look back.
--- From "A Tree I Want to Give to Someone Who Is Forty"

How long does it take for a tree to grow to a span in diameter?
It takes at least 500 years for a poplar tree to grow to that diameter.
The nickname "slow-moving tree" is a perfect fit for the ash tree.
But while growing so slowly, the boxwood hardens and hardens its insides, becoming a hardness that cannot be compared to any other tree.
And this hardness is valuable and makes it an excellent material for making seals.


People who love trees that grow tall and provide wonderful shade.
However, the faster a tree grows and the more branches it spreads, the weaker its insides are.
On the other hand, the boxwood, which no one recognizes but grows slowly over a long period of time, eventually gains its value and is used as a strong paint job.
I applaud those who have walked a long path unknown to anyone.
--- From "Even if it's a path that no one knows about"

While other trees bloom dozens, or even thousands, of times in their lifetime, bamboo blooms only once and then dies.
So, for bamboo, flowers are pain and suffering.
The fate of blooming only once is sad, but the life of bamboo is also sad because it must give up its life.
But bamboo does not waver even an inch until the moment it dies.
At the moment of death, there is no struggle to prolong life even a little, or to hold on to the underground stem, waiting for the next year.
Rather, they do their best until the end to make the flowers bloom properly.
Whenever I think of that bamboo, I make this wish from the depths of my heart.
May the rest of my life be like bamboo, accepting what is given to me and nodding with courage.
--- From "The Tree That Taught Us the Courage to Accept"

At night, the Japanese maple tree sleeps by covering its leaves on both sides.
What's interesting is that each leaf has a pair that touches each other.
Because of its characteristic of forming such a perfect pair, it is said that in the old days, the azalea tree was given as a gift to newlyweds.
People give high marks to flowers as showy as the phoenix's feathers, but I find the physiology of leaves that separate from each other during the day and then come together and meet each other as soon as the sun sets more cute and pretty.
--- From "What I Want to Say to People Getting Married"

The most notable characteristic of fir trees is their ‘straightness.’
Regardless of the surrounding environment, it never grows bent, but grows as a single stem, only growing upwards.
However, the trees in the fir forest never shake or break, even though they grow upwards.
Why is that?
This is because we form groups at appropriate intervals and overcome various hardships.
If the fir trees had grown separately, each one thinking it was good on its own, its straight trunk would not have been able to withstand the snow, wind, and frost and would eventually break.
A fir tree that grows uprightly but knows how to live together.
How did I know that holding hands and living together rather than trying to get ahead of others ultimately makes me stronger?
--- From "The Meaning of Living Together"

If they continue to grow close together, one of the two trees will eventually die.
The phenomenon in which two trees that are close to each other grow together and merge is called fusion.
If they stick together and become one body before one of them gets sick and dies, they will grow into a much larger tree than when they were alone.
What is truly remarkable about the phenomenon of fusion is that, despite this, it still retains the character and temperament it had before it merged.
How can two people with different characteristics live together as one body?
It is amazing to see how, like fire and water, individual trees, once united, recognize each other's individuality and live in harmony.
Looking at Yeonriji, I think how nice it would be if people could live like that.
--- From "If You Love, It's Like a Flower"

People say.
I hate the distance I feel between people.
But I think there needs to be an appropriate amount of distance between people.
Because each person has their own world that they must cultivate alone.
Also, the empty space left by being apart allows us to miss each other deeply.
Maintaining a distance that makes you miss each other without being too restrictive is essential for those who truly love each other.
It requires the wisdom to maintain a distance that allows us to always feel and see each other's presence, while not getting too close and causing harm.
--- From "Be Together, But Keep Your Distance"

The tree refuses to bear fruit.
This is called 'Haegeori'.
It literally means to do harm without bearing fruit.
What if a tree devoted all its energy to bearing fruit for many years?
As the years go by, the self-reliance within the tree disappears and it gradually loses its energy.
If the tree's condition continues to deteriorate and reaches a critical point, the tree will not survive the next year if it bears fruit again.
So the tree boldly gives up bearing fruit for a year through the sea.
If a tree that has turned off its power switch and is not engaged in any productive activity has one thing to do in the distance, it is to 'rest'.
When it rests, it really rests without caring whether the tree next to it bears fruit or not.
And the year after the long rest, the tree bears more abundant and substantial fruit than ever before.
True rest in life is not, as is commonly thought, just eating and playing.
Reflecting on life and recharging your energy for a bigger leap forward - that is true relaxation.
--- From "Moments When You Need a Break"

There are several people around me who are good at growing trees.
Their common characteristic is that they always watch the tree with interest and do not touch it carelessly.
At first glance, it may seem like a complete indifference, but it is by no means neglect.
It is about not keeping it in your arms, but keeping a distance, and always watching over it so that you do not miss the time to respond to what the tree needs.


I thought that raising a child should be like that too.
My role is to help the child stand on his own two feet. I shouldn't unconditionally protect him or interfere too much just because he's my child. I should just constantly watch over him...
Of course, it was hard to watch at times.
Every time that happened, I would think of the tree and calm my mind.
--- From "Parenting Wisdom Learned from Trees"

The saying, “An ugly tree protects the mountain” is probably not only applicable in the tree society.
Everything in the world has its own meaning.
Trees that know this fact have learned how to find happiness in their own place without comparing themselves to others.
Looking at such a tree, I realize anew that my life is precious.
I will always live my life remembering that the only person who can rate my life is myself.

--- From "Why Insignificant Trees Are Beautiful"