“Milky way in a clear blue sky, sail boat on the sea.
Cinnamon tree all alone, rabbit is crouching near,
Sailing without a sail, and without a mast.
Watch it glide so smoothly into the sunset to the west.”
Soyoung Lee sang the old children’s poem with her daughters and granddaughters. Every so often she would stop to ask for emphasis or enunciation, keeping rhythm with her hands.
The first Family Volunteers for Peace (FVP) Project Sampling meeting was held at the Global Peace Women office in Seoul, Korea on April 9. It was a special day for Mrs. Lee, an afternoon spent sharing what she loves: volunteering and poetry, with people she loves. For over 25 years Mrs. Lee has volunteered with her family, serving elderly and children in her community. One of the things she does is recite and teach poetry. In her lesson, ‘Pretty Language through Poetry Recitation” she expressed her desire for more families to serve in the same way.
Dr. Soonok Kang, President of GPW, expressed her expectation for the project sampling meetings. “ I hope we find a form of family service that fits the Korean character. There are so many good examples that I hope we can develop and share and expand to families and service clubs.”
“I was a little worried that it would have be awkward because it was the first time seeing my granddaughter Su-min and So-Myung in a setting like this,” said Mrs.Lee. But in reflection, the time was special, bringing three generations closer together. Hye-Song Kim (Mrs. Lee’s daughter) said, “I attended at the recommendation of mother, and it was great. I hope there will be more meetings like this!”
Nine-year-old So-Myung was happy. “I understood the poems better and I was happy to meet new people!” Her mother, Sakiko, reflected, “I did not know much about poetry reciting, but as I recite it slowly, I gained confidence, despite my pronunciation. It was time well spent.”
The poetry reading workshop introduced a simple way for families to share with others in their communities, like the elderly. Soyoung Lee shared her passion for service and poetry in the small session. Her humility and heart to serve others is a tradition she proudly carries from her parents onto her grandchildren. To read more about Soyoung Lee’s legacy of family service visit here.
We invite your family to volunteer and share your story and experience. To start your project and submit your story, email us: Global Peace Women - Sunshine Family Volunteers Team (Younshim Park): family.volunteers@globalpeacewomen.org.