Dear Cheonjin and Neungeom Sunim,

    You are both so beautiful…so much that just the thought of you two bring tears to my eyes.

Dear Cheonjin!

    When you were a lay woman attending the college, you never tried on any makeup, not even once put on a skirt, always with a short hairstyle, with different views compared to any other ordinary person you demonstrated with your strong personality that you were not just an average person. Before you became a Buddhist Nun, you struggled because you were trying to find the most ideal goal in this life. Of course, it was not easy to just watch you go through this as a parent. But, when you became a Buddhist nun I could tell that you were like a child who found her way home after getting lost, and I am so much at peace to know this.

Thank you over and over again.

     Also, Neungeom Sunim with such an unusually compassionate nature!

You are the last child in our family so I always want to see you when you are gone, and just a thought of you makes me want to cry and to make me lose my words. “Mother, what I really love is interacting with people, so I think I will choose the Liberal Arts Degree.” Even after you told me this, I force you to go into Natural Science, just with one excuse that you will find a job easier. This event remains with me even to this day. Looking back, I regret this so much and I feel sorry for what I made you do. I ask of you to please forgive me.

     Neungeom Sunim you would say, “Mom, when I grow up I want to date pretty girls, get married and be a father, I want to live just like my father.” on a typical day…

     But, while in the army you began to study the dharma more seriously. After deciding to put on the robe to become a monk, you came into my unlit room the night before going off to the temple and rubbed my shoulders while I slept to tell me with the sobbing words that you want to become a monk. When you sincerely asked me to understand this decision, I never thought in million years that my last child will also decide to become a monk, especially now that Tianjin had become a Buddhist Nun. However, a parent living in this secular world could not stop the path of the strong karma to unfold itself.

     I trust that two of you will follow the teachings of your revered master, Ven. Jeonbong, and along with Ven. Hyunhyun please study diligently to become venerated masters. As promised to Cheonjin Sunim, I am praying every morning with 108 mala.

I thank you. I thank you. I thank you….

     My prayers are with you always,

     Su Jeonghyen