Through Childlike Eyes

I often feel that being in Korea gives me the opportunity to see the world around me with child's eyes again. Like a child, I don't entirely understand what goes on around me. I sort of know how things work, but then again, I don't know completely. I sometimes understand the gist of what people are saying to and around me, but there are other things that I just don't understand. I am not entirely independent here.

Because of my lack of understanding, I rely more on my observations than my own understanding of how things are supposed to work. As a result, I think I notice things that I would probably miss if I were back home where I don't need to be quite so observant and aware.

The other day it struck me that colors seem so much more vivid these days than they have in a long time. The last time I had this feeling was in 2002, when I wore my glasses for the first time. I actually felt like I was child, looking at the world with a child's clarity. Lights were brighter, colors more vivid. The prescription on my glasses is now a little out of date, but again I have that sense of seeing the world through a child's eyes. Lately, I've noticed this vividness in the roses that are in bloom all over town.
While I would love to feel less of a stranger here and to have a deeper understanding of the world and people around me, I hope that my vision is never blurred and that maybe I can carry my childlike way of seeing, forever.