Ven. Beopjeong's [The Joy of Living Alone]

As the autumn breeze blows, the forest shakes its body in unison and begins its confession. Look at the leaves, which clung fiercely throughout the year, letting go lightly as if without any regrets, and settling onto the earth. It is not a fall, but a magnificent return. It is a wise choice to return to the roots from which they sprouted and become fertilizer for themselves. What we must learn this autumn is precisely this attitude of 'letting go'. How much do we fret to possess, and how desperately do we try not to lose, so many things? But there is nothing we can hold onto forever. Just as trees shed their leaves to reveal the clear, blue autumn sky with their whole bodies, we too can face the true richness of life only when we empty ourselves of inner attachments. Autumn is not a season for filling, but a season for emptying in the most beautiful way.