My letter from Korea and other forgetful things

A couple of weeks ago I was going through documents and other items that accumulate here and there to properly refile and organize what seemed important and to throw out the rest. This included re-packaging a collection of old correspondence ranging from 1992 to 2006. In doing so I came across the envelope in the picture above from Korea.

Now, technically, I don't really know anyone in Korea. Sort of. I'll explain.

I had visited and commented on the blog of an American in 2005 who liked to write about her life and Buddhist practice. She announced to everyone she was moving to Korea to live as a Buddhist nun. She left contact info for people who wanted to write her.

Now, I can't recall if she asked for us to send something, like a photocopy of a favorite passage from a book or something, and I'm not sure what I sent, but I wrote her figuring she seemed like a decent person who would be lonely and perhaps experiencing culture shock.

The letter I found and show above was her reply. Inside were a couple of photocopied pages, a photo/postcard, and a smaller envelope inside.

As you can see from the back of the smaller envelope, it was never opened.

There is something poetic or emblematic about this. I had enough interest, sociability, and friendliness to begin an act of kindness, then I somehow lose track of the whole thing.

Very bad form indeed.

I freely admit I am bad about "keeping up" with correspondence and also in maintaining some kinds of relationships where out of sight is out of mind, and this example shows how much I need to work on such issues. Mea culpa.

But now I wonder -- after seven years, should I open it now? I have no idea where this person is or how to find or reconnect to her. I barely knew who she was even then, and it's likely she wouldn't remember me at all. Yet even if responding isn't possible or desirable at this point, should I see what it says or just leave it alone?

Life is odd sometimes.

OK, a lot.