100 Things I Love About Korea: #3 - WolBong Mountain

I love mountains and nature, so WolBong Mountain is one of my favorite parts of Korea.  As far as mountains go, it's pretty small.  It's really a range of wooded hills with a hiking trail along the ridge, but I love it.  I've walked every inch of that trail for eight years.  I've counted the wooden steps.  I've explored all the side trails.  I've found the quietest corners to pray and to watch the animals.  

When I pass that threshold from field to forest, something changes in my psyche.  I feel that I have moved into God's domain, stepped into his loving embrace a little more fully.  I feel appropriately small before its largess (muted as it may be).  

WolBong Mountain is literally 2-3 minutes from our apartment, and I can walk the short side of the trail and get back within 30 minutes or the longer side in 40 minutes.  Or, I can take a pocket Bible and "camp out" for a while in solitude on one of the slopes.  

One of the beautiful quirks of Wolbong Mountain is that the undergrowth is dotted with scraggly azalea bushes.  Because of the thick trees overhead and lack of grooming, they never grow into the beautiful clouds of flowers that line landscaped buildings.  However, in spring they are like little starbursts of color amid the dull brown of the forest underworld.  

I will definitely miss my mountain.