Yongji Lake

Yongji Lake's light and water show

Yongji Lake lies at the center of a small but delightful (did I just use that word?) park in downtown Changwon. People walk and jog around the lake all day, and apparently when it's nicer out musicians play together outdoors. In the evenings -- every evening, in fact, from March until November, there is a water and light show that draws friends, couples, and random passers-by to watch.

I went once with my friend Elani, who is from South Africa and who teaches at an after-school academy, and once with Erik. The show was tacky at points but still breathtaking and very peaceful. Even if it's the same exact show, with the same exact music every time, I get the feeling that it's the kind of thing you could see many times and not get tired of it. Water and light can be seen in an infinite number of different perspectives.

I need to keep the whole perspective thing in mind daily. Sometimes, I teach a class and it feels like nothing got through to my students. Sometimes, I hit a major block in curriculum planning. Sometimes, it's impossible for me to express what I want to say in Korean because I don't have the skills yet. And sometimes, I just get bored. But these times are inevitable. As I tell my students, mistakes are okay! Effort matters more than perfection. In the grand scheme of things, you're doing all right. So take a deep breath, pray, maybe go to the gym to sweat it out, shake it out, and just move on.

This song's been on my mind!