life | TechiePrincesa

I live and breath in diversity.
I respect my surroundings.
I practice minimalistic living.
I provide a place to rest, play and live to those in need.
I clean the air for living.
I cope with challenges that life brings with best of my ability.
I know when to let go things to prepare myself for what’s to come.
I change to grow and mature.
I nurture what’s holding me to stand tall when reaching for the sky.
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Who am I…?
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My name is Tree.
And I am proud to be part of life on earth.

– Sarah Chun

Photo taken in British Columbia, Canada

I left home (Seoul, Korea) and came to Canada alone to study when I was 16 years old. This is the letter that my mom gave it to me in the morning of the day that I left home in 1995. It was an exciting yet quite difficult journey for a 16 years old girl, facing completely new life in Canada. I read this letter countless times throughout my journey and reminded myself of my mom who made a difficult yet brave decision to send her 16 years old daughter with only hope that I will grow to be a strong and bright women who not only knows how to take care of myself but also others in need, and be an independent, beautiful person with a good heart.

It’s first time sharing this letter, so I really hope you enjoy it. Take a moment to think of your mom and their unconditional love. I would love to hear your stories as well so please leave feedback/comments below. ❤ Thanks for reading!

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Dear daughter,
My dear daughter,
Become a good, beautiful, strong and brave woman.
Even if everyone else is walking down the different path than yours, do not be discouraged. Walk on your own path proudly.
Choose your own path based on what you think is right.
And learn to love and accept those who are going down different paths.
Above all, learn how to love.
A place without love is hell, so learn how to love and use it every day.
More and more you use toothpaste, what you will end up with is an empty tube that you will throw away.
Love is different. More you use it, it will grow bigger and become greater.

Dear daughter! My dear daughter,
Do not think of and treat people as business.
Do not calculate what you give and what you receive.
Love is not the same as doing your Math homework.
Life is a series of meetings and departures, nothing more or less.
Many people end up filling up their lives with painful encounters and breakups.
Of course I pray that your life will be filled with happy encounters and good luck.
However, many people will come into your life and also leave your life one day.
Some may end up leaving you in bad terms,
Some may just disappear as time goes by – as the string that connects you and those are not strong enough and become thin over time naturally.
Some may build a strong relationship with you for a long time, but they may eventually leave your life due to death.
So, my dear daughter –
Remember no relationship is eternal in this life… and why its precious.

I have the responsibility and the right to love and respect you.
Please be careful not to lose yourself in your journey.
Dear daughter,
My dear daughter,
When you face the world, you will encounter both luck and misfortune.
I wish you all the best of luck, however,
Sometimes you may face misfortune.
Everyone feels cold rain on their shoulder sometimes.
Everyone faces challenges and difficulties in their journey.
You can prepare an umbrella for those cold rainy days that you may face, however,
Not always you can block all those pouring rain and prevent yourself from getting wet.
I believe that God is fair and he will not give you a heavy burden that you will not be able to bear.

Dear daughter, My dear daughter,
If you see sadness in your neighbour’s face,
Offer them a hot cup of tea.
You will be able to feel great joy in that hot cup of tea you offer to those in need.

Dear daughter,
When you encounter cold wind of trials, be courageous and brave.
Fight courageously and overcome.
When you overcome those obstacles and pass through those cold wind, you will become a more strong and beautiful woman than you were before.

Dear daughter,
My dear daughter,
I love you.

1995.6.26
Love Mom.

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딸아,
나의 딸아.
착하고 아름답고 씩씩하고 강인한 여자가 되어라.
세상 사람들이 네길과 다른길을 가더라도..
너는 네길을 가면서, 낙담하지 말고.
네가 옳다고 생각하는 길을 씩씩하게 선택해라.
그리고 네길과 다른길을 가는 사람들을 사랑하고 받아들여라.
무엇보다도 사랑하는 방법을 배워라.
사랑이 없는곳은 지옥이니, 사랑을 배워 나날이 써라.
사랑은 다 쓰면 껍질로 남는 치약이 아니고,
쓰면 쓸수록 샘물솟듯 솟아오름이 사랑이란다.

딸아! 나의 딸아.
사람을 장사나 사업으로 생각하지 말아라.
내가 이만큼 주었는데
저쪽에선 아무것도 갚아주지 않았다고 셈하지 말아라.
사랑은 산수 숙제가 아니란다.
인생이란 알고보면 만남과 헤어짐의 연속일뿐
그 이상도 그 이하도 아니란다.
대부분의 사람들은 다소 고통스런 만남과 이별로 인생을 메꾸어간다.
물론 나는 네가 좋은 만남의 행운의 생을 살길 두손모아 빌고 빈다.
너에게 오는 그 숱한 사람들은 언젠가는 너와 이별하게 된다.
그중에 일부는 너와 싸우고는 등돌려 떠나가고,
또 일부는 그관계의 끈이 가늘고 약해서 시간이 흐르면서 흐지부지 잊혀져 간다.
오랫동안 더불어 누리는 만남도 죽음이라는게 있어 갈라 놓기도 한다.
그래서 딸아.
만남은 그렇게 영원한것이 아니기에 소중하고 귀중한 것이란다.

나는 너를 아끼고 존경하고 사랑해야할 책임과 권리가 있다.
그러므로 너의 자아를 상실하지 않도록 조심해야 한다.
딸아, 나의 딸아.
네가 세상에 나가며 여러가지 몫으로 지워진 행운과 불운을 만나게 될것이다.
내게는 행운만 있기를 기원하지만
간혹 불운이란것도 다가올지 모른다.
사람은 모두 시련의 차가운 비를 피하지 못한다.
각기 다르고 무게도 다르지만 누구나 제각기 시련과 고통을 겪게 되는 법이다.
사람으로서 찬비를 가릴 우산을 가질수 있지만
우산으로 가리기엔 모자랄 때도 있단다.
하느님은 공평하신 분이므로 사람이 감당하지 못할 무거운 짐은 지워주지 않으시리라 믿는다.

딸아, 나의 딸아.
너의 이웃이 우울한 표정일때.
그사람에게 더운 차 한잔을 대접해라.
네가 산 한잔의 차로 기쁨을 느낄것이다.

딸아.
시련의 찬 바람이 왔을때 용기를 내고 씩씩해라.
용감하게 싸워라 극복해야 한다.
시련과 찬 바람을 이긴 너는 그 전보다 더욱 훌륭하고 아름다운 여자가 될것이다.

딸아,
나의 딸아.
나는 너를 사랑한다.

1995.6.26
너를 사랑하는 엄마가.