I returned home after three weeks of travel through Portland, Seattle, and Banff, Canada, spending most of my time in Oregon. I am tired but gradually recovering my energy. I have preserved these memories through photos and personal reflections.
I flew to Oregon from Virginia in July 2026. The first highlight of my trip centers on fruit picking and the surrounding landscapes, showcasing how Oregon is truly blessed with abundant natural beauty and resources. I visited the agricultural regions behind Mt. Hood, which are filled with orchards and vineyards producing apples, peaches, berries, and grapes. The sheer variety of fruits, with their splendid colors and shapes, completely satisfied my palate.
These natural blessings are not of our own making; they are freely given to all of us. What we truly need is genuine appreciation and a willingness to share these gifts with others.
I flew to Oregon from Virginia in July 2026. The first highlight of my trip centers on fruit picking and the surrounding landscapes, showcasing how Oregon is truly blessed with abundant natural beauty and resources. I visited the agricultural regions behind Mt. Hood, which are filled with orchards and vineyards producing apples, peaches, berries, and grapes. The sheer variety of fruits, with their splendid colors and shapes, completely satisfied my palate.
These natural blessings are not of our own making; they are freely given to all of us. What we truly need is genuine appreciation and a willingness to share these gifts with others.
*I give special thanks to my daughter and son-in-law for their heartfelt arrangement and care for our travels.
In Canada, I witnessed the majestic Rocky Mountains and pristine lakes, catching a glimpse of the early stages of cataclysmic planetary changes. I wrote the following poem as a result of my travels through those areas:
The Beginning of a Beginning
— Yung Suk Kim
Being fully present within nature's vast diversity,
I feel like nothing but a small part of its great mystery.
Suddenly, I realized the layers of upheaval born from the first existence,
As the elements of the earth began to take shape.
What I witnessed was a revolutionary scene:
The Rocky Mountains rising from the ocean floor.
Millions of years ago, no one could have predicted such things.
Non-existence does not mean there is nothing to arise;
All things are a temporary phenomenon.
The mystery of power is already everywhere.
While we cannot fully grasp the beginning of a beginning,
We still feel the unfathomable mystery of our being within nature.
The beauty of the Rocky Mountains and untouched lakes not only leaves me spellbound but forces me to question their origins—origins born from millions of past upheavals and geological shifts.
Seeing is not everything; asking questions with curiosity awakens our dormant spirit.
What we truly need is an incessant investigation into who we are.
We must acknowledge our fundamental weaknesses and accept our vulnerability, while still believing in the meaning of our lives amidst our transient nature.
I will never forget the realization that seeing is more than just observing a phenomenon.
It is a gateway through which we must question our fragile yet precious existence.
I feel like nothing but a small part of its great mystery.
Suddenly, I realized the layers of upheaval born from the first existence,
As the elements of the earth began to take shape.
What I witnessed was a revolutionary scene:
The Rocky Mountains rising from the ocean floor.
Millions of years ago, no one could have predicted such things.
Non-existence does not mean there is nothing to arise;
All things are a temporary phenomenon.
The mystery of power is already everywhere.
While we cannot fully grasp the beginning of a beginning,
We still feel the unfathomable mystery of our being within nature.
The beauty of the Rocky Mountains and untouched lakes not only leaves me spellbound but forces me to question their origins—origins born from millions of past upheavals and geological shifts.
Seeing is not everything; asking questions with curiosity awakens our dormant spirit.
What we truly need is an incessant investigation into who we are.
We must acknowledge our fundamental weaknesses and accept our vulnerability, while still believing in the meaning of our lives amidst our transient nature.
I will never forget the realization that seeing is more than just observing a phenomenon.
It is a gateway through which we must question our fragile yet precious existence.
After Canada, I visited Seattle.
Finally, I traveled to the Oregon Dunes and the coastal areas. Stepping onto the Oregon Dunes this afternoon, the sheer vastness of the sand took my breath away. A surprisingly cold wind swept across the landscape, constantly reshaping the slopes into fluid, nameless forms. Looking out, I felt a profound peace in knowing that no human hand shaped this place; it belongs entirely to the wild, raw forces of nature.
Ultimately, Oregon is a deeply blessed state. My journey has made me determined to live a simpler, more natural life. Nature, truly, is the ultimate school.
I also had a pleasure to practice golf and went out to the field. It was awesome experience since many years ago.
I walked trails in Cooper Mountain Nature Park.
I discovered the beauty of wild nature.