Living with the Forest: A Time for Solitude

When I reached a turning point in my life, I decided to step away from the relentless pace of my career. Seeking a life surrounded by nature, I purchased land in the suburbs and resolved to build my own home alongside a thoughtful architect who shared my vision. While I felt a certain anxiety about the future, my desire to hit the "reset" button was far stronger.
In designing the house, I was particular about the landscape viewed from each room. This led me to not only tend my own garden but also to restore the surrounding greenery. I volunteered for the city’s green space management program and, over the course of five years, donated and planted more than 100 trees to complete the forest. Though I started by learning from professional landscapers about the best environments for various species, I eventually began to independently seek out the perfect trees to harmonize with the existing evergreen landscape.

To plant and grow these trees, imagining how their leaves would look and change color with the seasons, was like the time spent creating a painting. Nowadays, sensing spring through the birdsong and new buds, and seeing the fresh green landscape, fills me with a sense of clarity every single year. The forest protects me from the harsh summer sun. As autumn brings its beautiful gradation of yellow, orange, and red, I know winter is approaching, a time for the trees to quietly store their energy. These seasonal faces of the forest are the greatest gift I could ask for, giving me the space to truly face myself.