Being Gardener

"Sunflower, peanut, pig, turtle, power pole, snail…" We have so many kinds of names in Korea signifying the unique characteristics of individual personalities.

When I was a child, my mother sometimes called me by a nickname that translates to something like "cow's ghost" because I didn't express myself much. I wasn't verbose.

When I entered the religious congregation, especially during the novitiate period, my nickname was "lightning" because I was very prompt to act and industrious in many ways. I was quick to act immediately as soon as some words fell upon me. So, my colleagues called me "lightning".

Whether I agreed or not, I accepted that nickname. However, from the bottom of my heart, I chose "gold-and-silver flower" (honeysuckle, lonicera japonica, "indongcho" in Korean) as my name in the class on the spiritual means of communication during my initial formation period.

Listening to my explanation for my choice, a sister who guided the class asked me, "Why do you have to endure and be patient all the time?"

Well, nevertheless, I liked the spiritual meaning of "indongcho," such as "perseverance" enduring the cold of winter, the indomitable inner power of overcoming difficulties and transcending hardship. I really appreciated the literal and spiritual meanings of "indongcho."

These days, I have another nickname. Because I often take care of the gardens voluntarily whenever I have some downtime aside from my work, some sisters greet me, calling me "gardener." Being free from work preoccupations, I enjoy watering, weeding, pruning, and arranging the gardens here and there from time to time.

Taking care of nature truly enlivens me. Observing the new sprouts coming out in full bloom gives me much joy and awesome wonder. When I cultivate the ground, my clothes are wet with sweat, but I feel much refreshment. Surely, nature gives us energy, vitality, and inspiration.

Adam was the first gardener according to the plan of God in the Old Testament. God created all living beings and took care of them; one day, God planted a garden in the east and placed Adam in it. It might be awesome to live in that garden called "Eden", but both Adam and Eve were expelled from that garden due to their disobedience and infidelity to God.

Jesus was a gardener, farmer, carpenter, pastor, and above all, savior, but people's arrogance, disbelief, and infidelity drove him to death on the cross.

In such a way, throughout the curved history of the world, selfish and arrogant people have misused and abused the creatures up to the point of the present abnormal climate across the world.

Each of us is supposed to be a gardener in some way, for we are called to take care of the family and the community, nature, and living environment.

Going beyond the human limits, the ecosystem has been under such a constant barrage of destruction that strange phenomena are happening again and again without end. COVID-19 is basically a phenomenon of abusing the natural order of creatures in the world.

All in all, who will be responsible for all the disasters happening to us? Much imbalance in our society causes the ongoing destruction of the world.

We are surrounded by various unknown viruses. Once we lose the inner power to keep balance in life, we will be totally exposed to the dangerous crisis of nature.