Global Connections  

              Volume 9, Issue 4

Noh Jeok Seong Hae (露積成海): Drops of Dew Accumulate to Form a Sea

Sister Rosa Eunsoon Kim

Noh Jeok Seong Hae (露積成海)

This might sound a bit odd, but there are moments when I suddenly feel like I’ve aged.  One example is when a sentence I learned from a textbook or advice from my parents suddenly becomes clear to me.  A good example is Noh Jeok Seong Hae, a Korean idiom in four Chinese characters.  The concise idiomatic phrase means that tiny drops of dew, when gathered, can form a sea; that is, even small efforts, when accumulated over time, can grow into something vast.  The metaphor carries a message of hope.  This reminds me, as a religious who cherishes faithfully living each day, that even the smallest moments of my everyday life hold profound value before God, encouraging me to keep moving forward.

Still in the Process of becoming a Woman of Providence

Often, we affirm our identity as members of the Sisters of Divine Providence through the term ‘Women of Providence’.  Perhaps for that reason, I sometimes find myself asking where I am as a Woman of Providence.  And yet, I find myself repeating the same response—that I am still becoming a Woman of Providence.  Yes. I believe that all of us –myself included—are becoming Women of Providence through the ongoing journey of living out the Charism and Mission passed down to us by our Founders.  The journey will be fulfilled when we at last stand in God’s presence, together with the Sisters who walked this path before us. Therefore, regardless of the circumstances, our journey as Women of Providence must be lived and fulfilled through an awakened daily life, deeply rooted in the spirit of our Founders and the Charism. 

I Would Still Plant an Apple Tree Today

Perhaps many people are familiar with Spinoza’s words:  Even if the end of the world came tomorrow, I would plant an apple tree today.  When I first heard these words as a child, I couldn’t understand them and wondered why he would plant an apple tree if the world were ending tomorrow.  Later, I came across an explanation saying that planting the apple tree was something long planned—and that it was meant to express the idea of remaining faithful to the work entrusted to me today even if tomorrow were the end of the world.  This idea, I think, aligns with Noh Jeok Seong Hae and mirrors my belief that we are still on the path of becoming Women of Providence.  I believe that the Sisters who live each day faithfully with a positive attitude—never losing hope regardless of the circumstances— are those with patience like dew drops that can one day form a vast ocean, those who don’t succumb to the fear of an uncertain future, and who strive to live fully and faithfully in the present. 

Closing

As everyone well knows, we are presently experiencing challenges arising from changes at the Congregational level.  With a profound awareness of our need for God’s wisdom and grace, we find ourselves, now more than ever, offering heartfelt prayers for the future of our Congregation. I pray that we, as Women of Providence, may remain faithful in our daily lives, no matter what challenges we may face.  And I pray that, not only until God hears our prayers, but so that we, too, may become people who pray, until we can truly listen and recognize His voice.

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