No matter where you go, there is always the garden for you.

"There are always things to miss," said Maggie. "No matter where you are." p.46

"You must have a garden. Wherever you are." p.47

It was my starting book of Patricia MacLachlan series, although I was planning to read only three of them. While reading the beginning when Sarah came to live with Anna and Caleb for a month, I could expect how the story will end. The story was smooth and calm like the tranquil night. There was nothing surprising or remarkable; however, I really like the theme, "new beginning," and the symbol, "garden."

Life never let me stay at one place. I have to keep moving around to go forward and grow up, but if I leave things after me, I could not fit in the new environment. Until college years, I always thought of the things I miss from the past years by comparing the lives between the years. Although it did not help me to do something, I could not accept the fact that no matter where I go, I will miss things that I had in previous years. I believed that if I did my best, if I made the other decision, my life would be much happier and more enjoyable. However, after accepting the truth of things I miss, I could move onto the next chapter. I could grow up and change. 

When I move on, at first I felt like an orphan. I have no where to go and nothing belongs to me. I felt like I lost my own stage for the play of my life. I didn't know the most important truth of the life. No matter where I go, there is another "garden" that I need to take care of and write my own words. 

Life never ends until death. Always new hope and wish spring up with the new beginning. With this idea, I would like to give five stars :^)* though it was a bit boring. ★★★★★

Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan

You have to write your name on the dust of the land.

"You don't have to love this land," said Maggie. "But if you don't love it, you won't survive. Jacob's right. You have to write your name in the land to live here." p.45 

It was my third book written by Patricia MacLachlan, and in my very personal opinion, this one is the best among the other two, Caleb's story and Sarah, Plain and Tall. The other two series are more like typical dramatic stories I can often watch TV for Korean drama show about the family, love, and forgiveness, but the topic of Skylark is more about hometown, the land where I was born and where I live at this moment. 

In fact, sometimes, while living in every day life, the meaning of the land seems much smaller than it actually is, but through the matter of drought, she well treated about the hometown and the family. I really like all the quotations talking about the land, especially part of when Sarah wrote her name on the land to show how she thought about the place where she lives with Caleb and Anna. 

The land, where I am from and where I am living, put the identity on me. I am from Busan, South Korea. When speaking in both Korean and English, I have a strong accent from Busan. When growing up and studying in the other country, being from South Korea helped me to find my own identity in every way, historical, cultural, and so on. Since being globalized, we neglected the importance of the land; however, land is more than just ground and where I live. 

Because I am dreaming of being a writer, it was one of my favorite quotes in this book, 

"I loved what was between the lines most."

"What was between the lines?" Caleb asked.

Sarah looked at me when she answered.

"His life," she said simply. That was what was between the lines."

p. 12-13

Some people who did not read any types of writing often, they might think the only words are delivering everything writer wants to say, but actually not only words, but also the arrangement of the words, phrases, and sentences delivers the mood of the writer and of the writing. Therefore, when studying poetry, we treated the space very carefully and kept them to make the tone. 

Although it was not the first series of her, I would suggest this one if anyone wants to read her books. Five stars :) ★★★★★

Skylark, Patricia MacLachlan

Enjoy the lunch by myself in the crowd.

For about a month, I was so starved for the Italian food, not about the pizza, but about the noodle, spaghetti, and finally went to the Italian restaurant by myself. It was not unusual to go to the restaurant alone, but still felt really butterflies to stay in the crowd. Actually I could more focus on the taste of the food and of the noodle. 

While eating, I've thought of saying that "if you cannot enjoy every single moment of the life all by yourself, although someone came into your life, you would not be able to enjoy the moment of happiness." by me. I totally practiced standing on my own feet, and realized that the happiness never come through others, but from inside of my mind and heart. 

There was another saying coming out from my heart. While going through the life, there were two things we have on our hands; one is the matters that we can solve and change to move forward, and another is that there is nothing we can do about it, just let the heaven work. However, because of the ignorance, we got confused which one is which and wasted the time and energy. We waste our energies on the problems that we can't solve and waste our time not to do anything on the matters that we can change and move on.  I have to wake up and always try to be wise by reading books and others' words and by facing new experiences through new people and environments. 

Love to read when working.

It has been almost five months since I started to work at English library in Mok-dong. Although working didn't always provide me the best experience and the achievement, until the time I publish my own writing, it is the best place to work for me, except the vacation season. 

I have several tasks to finish. If finish them early, I could have my own time for reading. 

1. counseling on the phone

2. writing the progress report

3. 1:1 checkup after students finish reading and writing.

There are hundreds books to read including the picture books, young adult series, and adult novel and non-fictions. I started to read the whole young adult novels and classics. I really like the way I organized my place and spent some time here. Today, I'm reading "Skylark" by Patricia MacLachlan, one of the sequel to the Newbery Medal winner Sarah, Plain and Tall.

The more fierce winter, the warmer story.

"Not one thing in the world is wrong." p. 132

The story was actually not my genre I like to read, but it was calm and touched my mind while reading. To be honest, at first, I had a little difficult time focusing on reading since the beginning was a bit weak, which made me read with the audio book; however, after about a half later, it became little more interesting and finished little quickly. Since the book was for young adult reader, age 8-10, the story was warm and could be strong, but for those who are already adults and have experienced so many things through the life, like me, the story could be boring and stereotypical plot. 

"Everyone's not a writer, Caleb," said Anna. "but everyone can write." p. 9

However, with the fierce winter, the atmosphere I delivered was really cozy and warm which made me miss the winter. (In fact, I hate winter. I am a summer person.) With the comfortable story, author well delivered the fact about the forgiveness and the love of life. We cannot blame anyone, when the time comes. 

Caleb's story, Patricia MacLachlan

There is no way to get out of the facebook.

About a month ago, I deactivated my facebook account; however, it only lasted for a month. Today, on my way home, I reactivated my account and started to think of posting my Korean diary on the facebook. Through facebook, I could read and see how my friends live nowadays. My blog is the top secret that I don't want to tell anybody who thought they knew me well, and everything in here is planned to be posted in English. I want some other place to post in Korean and maybe the facebook could be the best.

It is a little weird to show my life to someone who knew me face to face, but I need to get used to it since every one will read about my words, including novels, short stories, essays, poems and articles.

One of the blissful facts in the life is the family and friends cheer for my dream.

 

 

 Reading books and writing are the factors which kept me going on the goal. I've dreamed of being a writer for about  ten years and kept running toward the aims. I always try not to forget which way I should go becuase once I forget, it is really easy to lose the purpose of the life.

 

While I was reading a book titled "Top Secret" which was for the young adult readers, my bestfriend sent me a text with this picture. She asked me to send my writing to the writing contest and told me that I would keep the writing job for a living. It really encouraged me and actually the fact that someone believed me to achieve the life goal is the most marvelous thought to keep myself up.

 

Actually I failed about two years ago. But with my friend, I decided to attemp for this one more time. I should start soon and try to bring the fine work, which could be my first work in Korean novel.