Daily Sauntering

Hello. How tired and busy have you been this past week? As our lives become filled with more and more things to do, how often do we find ourselves tossing and turning at night, unable to rest because of the tasks we couldn’t finish that day? When we look around at the women in our immigrant communities, we see so many truly remarkable people. Women who beautifully balance home and work—yet behind that strength, there is often hidden fatigue and inner struggle. Today, I’d like us to take a moment to reflect together on what truly brings women fulfillment and satisfaction in life.

As society has progressed, more women have entered the workforce, becoming economically independent and living with confidence and freedom. Especially among Korean immigrant families, it is astonishing to see how much women carry—managing vast responsibilities as mothers, wives, and members of society. Historically, women’s leadership and roles were suppressed or overlooked, but now, like blossoms on a tree, their influence is blooming throughout society. As a fellow woman, I cannot help but feel proud.

Yet behind that pride and brightness, we often encounter women who are exhausted—mentally and physically—from excessive burdens. Strangely, even with washing machines, rice cookers, and vacuum cleaners, the workload never seems to decrease. No matter how much laundry we do, it piles up again. The grass grows overnight, the flowers need tending, children must be driven to and from after‑school programs, and empty refrigerators must be filled. These tasks leave us with hardly a moment to rest. Mothers with young children, who cannot take their eyes off them even for a second, suffer not only physical fatigue but sometimes deep emotional depression.

When these tiring and tense days continue, unexpressed emotions build up and eventually spill out as irritation toward our children or husbands. When this happens frequently, it can lead to arguments and even become the starting point of family problems. Many divorced couples never imagined they would separate—yet their troubles often began with small, everyday frustrations.

Where, then, can women find their greatest sense of accomplishment? Times change, and what was once considered truth may no longer fit the present. But I wonder if any career or success can truly surpass the fulfillment of being a mother and a wife. A mother’s cheerful humming in the morning sets the rhythm for her children’s and husband’s entire day. Children raised in a home where a mother prays carry with them a sense of God’s guidance and protection throughout the day. Abraham Lincoln once confessed that his mother’s prayers always echoed in his life.

To faithfully carry out the responsibilities and heavy workloads entrusted to us, we must keep our bodies and spirits healthy. Yet how can we do that? Although we live in America with so many advantages and comforts, we often fail to enjoy them and instead fall into workaholism. Even now, parks and botanical gardens are bursting with colorful flowers, but our minds and eyes are too burdened to take in their beauty.

Sometimes, in our pursuit of achievement, we neglect or mishandle the process. For example, a family may sacrifice everything to build a business, only to find that while the business succeeded, the children went astray or the marriage fell apart. In such cases, the original goal becomes meaningless. When we become overly consumed by one task, we inevitably neglect others.

A woman’s mental and physical health is the health of the entire family—and even its future. Our values shape the values of the next generation, so it is crucial that we set the right priorities. There are many heroes and influential figures in the world, but the influence women have on the present and future is truly immense. God has given women many gifts and the space to use them freely. And as the world becomes more like a global village, perhaps true “super women” are those who move beyond narrow, individualistic thinking and live with a global, even cosmic, sense of community.

Jesus invites us—who are constantly rushing and burdened—to rest. He says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28–29)

Modern women are often called “super women.” But what is the most important thing you and I must do first? If we feel pressured to join the ranks of super women by owning more, achieving more, consuming more, and exhausting ourselves more, then perhaps that is the true waste of life. What we need is rest in God. Through that rest, we can diagnose the ailments of our weary souls and correct the confused direction of our lives. In that rest, we discover the simplest joys and gain the wisdom to share life’s happiness with our families and neighbors.

— WanHee Yoon, 6/15/1997