the river

I was going to walk to town. I had to get there for some reason. I was afraid I’d be late. I remember that there was a train station. I was walking near the river when I thought, maybe it would be faster to go by water. I walked into the water. It was almost knee deep. Down stream were some Korean women with huge visors on. They had rolled up their pants and they were walking around in the water. I wasn’t very concerned with getting my clothes all wet. First of all, I didn’t have time to be worried. Secondly, I was quite pleased with the temperature of the water and it didn’t seem to penetrate my clothing and make me feel cold. I submerged my entire body in the water letting myself float. The current whisked me away down the river towards town. I looked to see cars and people on scooters on road alongside the river. I was going faster than them. I was so content. I was going to make it on time and everything was so beautiful. I thought about how easy it was to enjoy the present moment then. When everything was so beautiful and simple it was so easy to accept the present moment and really exist just then.

I woke up to a gorgeous day in my hotel room. The sky was clear, not the way it’s hazy even in the morning in Seoul. The blue sky and mountains, covered in lush green trees, were the backdrop for the centerpiece of my view--the river. I took a long walk, singing along to the music on my mp3. Later, I went into town, ate a nice lunch with friends and decided to stay another night in the country.