I don't know a thing

Saturday I woke up early to meet the girls for what turned out to be one of the best days I've had in Korea (actually, it was one of the happiest days I've ever had).

First, we drove to a little temple an hour from Daegu. Inside the temple is a stone that can grant your wishes or more accurately forecast whether it will come true or not. The idea is that you make a wish and then try to lift the stone. If you ARE able to lift it then the wish WON'T come true but if you CAN'T then your wish WILL come true. (It still seems a little backwards to me and I hope nothing was lost in translation!)

I could never lift the stone and I made six attempts. Each time I closed my eyes, made a fervent wish and then used all my strength to try to lift it (what can I say, I'm a skeptic!). Each time the stone wouldn't budge. I was bemused and perplexed and secretly joyous. Everyone before me had lifted the stone at least once. Could it be? Did it mean my wishes were really going to come true? I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Here I am, a 27 year old atheist, who's only ever believed in things I could touch, suddenly having my world turned upside down.... by a ROCK.

I've never gone through an agnostic phase. I don't believe in any sort of mystical or magical thing. I always have 100% certainty that whatever I can't explain or don't understand has some sort of logic behind it OR it's rigged or a trick. I don't believe in astrology, horoscopes, fortune cookies, tarot cards, fortune tellers, wishing wells, or facebook quizzes. Even though they're all fun to do.

But somehow that stone got me. Maybe it was being with all the believers or among the mountains in a place that looked untouched for hundreds of years but for once in my life I can't explain something. And I actually have a little faith...

After the temple we drove to Chisan Valley for a picnic. I spent the rest of the day with my feet dangling in a stream, drinking wine, eating peaches and bathing in the sun. Heaven. We took the scenic road out of the valley and I had to pinch myself. Everything was too perfect. My favorite songs were playing on the radio (songs which no doubt will forever remind me of that moment), windows rolled down, hair blowing in the wind, feeling slightly sticky from the ice cream and sun, cotton candy clouds, orange sun, pink sunset and heart full.