If There Was Only One Thing I Could Write, I Would...

~ Meteor Garden (2018) ~ 

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Credits | GIF 1: Bookwyrming Thoughts | GIF 2: Guidie Dyshen | GIF 3: We Heart It | GIF 4, 5, 6: Tumblr | GIF 7: Tenor | GIF 8: @optimisticgirl

~ Quote from: More Than Friends (2020) ~

~ This teaching, among the many that make this heart soar, comes from my spiritual teacher, my Guru. . I hope we each turn inwards and I hope we find the inherent, never-fading, gorgeous, priceless treasure of our own self.  . Here's to experiencing we are our own home.~

‘Hotel Del Luna’ Showed Me That Sometimes, You Get To Choose Who You Call ‘Family’

I wasn't ready to see IU on screen. I wasn't ready for that killer walk in a purple high-slight gown with a rifle in hand. I wasn't ready either for a drama world filled with magic, humor and sass. But it happened and there I already adding 'Hotel Del Luna' to my 're-watch' and 'favorites' lists.

The Story:

The story commences with Jang Man Wol, a 1000-year-old woman for whom the flow of time has stopped. As a manager of 'Hotel Del Luna' (a pit-stop for souls to rest and move on from the earthly realm to afterlife), Man Wol is snooty, obsessed with money, high-end fashion and the latest cars.

In comes Koo Chan Sung, a Forbes-listed hotelier who's bound by a curse to work for Del Luna and hence, he comes to be the 99th caretaker (private secretary) of Jang Man Wol.

We now enter the world of spirits and their stories that deal with our deep attachment to the past, need for revenge, the beauty of letting go and the very scientific bearings of karma. These are wonderfully conveyed in the drama through humor, sensitivity and wisdom.

The hotel staff consists of 3 primary ghosts: Kim Sun Bi, a misunderstood Joseon scholar with a tainted name, Choi Seo Hee, a wronged mother seeking vengeance and Ji Hyun Joong, a brother who is waiting to step into the afterlife with his still-living baby sister.

What I loved:

~ Man Wol's potty mouth + impeccable wardrobe + kind heart 🎃 ~ Beautiful stories of spirits' healing  🎃 ~ The bubbly deity Ma Go Shin and the superbly deadpan Grim Reaper Sa Shin 🎃 ~ The interplay between past and present of each character's story 🎃 ~ Korean mythology and magic 🎃 ~ Man Wol & Goo Chan Sung's love 🎃

Learnings:

1. "Do not judge a book by its cover."

The saying particularly fits Man Wol's character which on the surface, seems selfish and self-centered but actually houses a lot of compassion and justice within. With every episode, through Koo Chan Sung, we come across various layers of Man Wol's personality which seem otherwise absent. This taught me to look beyond what I perceive people to be and allow myself the chance to really know them.

2. Choosing what's best for the one you love is an act of deep courage.

This is my favorite part of Man Wol and Koo Chan Sung's connection. They choose what is the best for the person they love and help them bloom into the best versions of who they are. While it seems like the obvious thing to do, it is far from easy but this is exactly why true love is termed 'selfless'.

3. And while you're here, live. Do not simply exist.  Time and time again, whether it is through the stories of the ghosts or through Man Wol, I learned the power of living each day to the fullest. Which includes lots of laughter, walking your own path, ticking of that wish-list of dreams and loving people deeply.

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GIF Credits: | GIF 1: Quora | GIF 2: @foriu​ | GIF 4: J’Marei, Soompi | GIF 5:  Shine Smile | GIF 6: Bir Otakunun Dunyasi | GIF 7: Tumblr | GIF 8: Aghasewatchtv | GIF 9: Giphy | GIF 10: El Blog de Wendy

~ My favorite quote from ‘I Am Not A Robot’. I think Ji Ah and Min Kyu make one of the cutest, prettiest K-drama couples.🌼  ~

~ Hwang In Yeop a.k.a Han Seo Jun appreciation post ~

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GIF Credits: GIF 2:  nicoledrg, Pinterest | GIF 3, 5: Tumbex | GIF 4: pinterest.co.kr | GIF 8, 11: We Heart It | GIF 9: Tumbral | GIF 10: @princesshibanaa​ 

Heartwork ~ 26.6.2020

~ To build something with care requires time. It requires infusion of your spirit. Things built slowly smell of love and patience. Haste has no room when time expands, and you create from the well of joy in your heart. ~🌼

"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself." - Virginia Woolf

As often as you need, disconnect from the noise of the surrounding world so that you can listen to yourself clearly. 🌺

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(Picture of a page before the words were written.)