Humble Mind

Sitting in Incheon Airport, where they still do not have a service that knocks you out and loads you on the plane only to have you awaken upon landing, so I guess I have to awaken all by myself.   And is there really a direct flight to Detroit?  And who is on that flight?  My flight has not even made it to the big board yet, so I have plenty of time to contemplate the randomness of life and death and the Motor City while sizing up the crew members of Korean Air.  I do this only because my most wonderful host, Ji-young, is at a preliminary interview with Korean Air today that consists entirely of them determining that she is pretty and thin enough to be one of their flight attendants.

I think she is, by far, but then again, I stand at a distinctly unlady-like 5'9" so what do I know?  I do know that I am going to miss Korea a lot.  While here, I read a history of North Korea, which is kind of the same as reading a history of South Korea too since their histories are intertwined.  I was completely surprised by what I learned.  I had learned none of it in school and I suspect most Americans have no idea of their role in why Korea is what it is today.  

If people had wanted to throw stones at me, I would not have blamed them.  At the Contemporary Art Museum, I saw photographs from the early 1960s where Seoul is mainly some low buildings and mud.  Although I am hardly a fan of new construction and development in most instances, I think what Korea is today is remarkable and hugely impressive.  That no one threw stones at me but instead treated me as a valued guest, well, it brings tears to my eyes.  I am sorry for what Americans did in Korea but I am even more sorry that this story simply is not told as part of our history education.  

When I was at Myogaksa, we did 108 prostrations, counting our bows with beads as we made a mala.  The nun leading the program told us it would help cultivate our "humble mind".  That notion of a humble mind came up for me again and again thereafter.  I would think about it when I was crossing the street and a car would want to cut me off - the New Yorker in me would scowl with a bit of "oh yeah, you wanna fight about it?" attitude and suddenly I would think, "humble mind!"  especially after I saw others bowing to the driver who had tried to cut them off.  

Humble mind.  I am pretty sure that one could do a lot worse in life than to fully cultivate one.  Now I humbly put my faith in the thin and pretty crew of Korean Air and their flying machine that will take me back to New York.  Hope to see you there!