(Reading time: 2 minutes)
I wrote the prologue while being slightly influenced by the book Children of Dune. If you’ve read Dune, you might agree that Frank Herbert’s sentence structure is anything but simple. I find that appealing, though, because complex things aren’t always easy to describe in simple terms. In Children of Dune, intricate sentence construction takes on a new dimension, allowing Herbert to describe the otherwise indescribable and continue a story that once seemed concluded. What appears to be the grand finale in Dune—without the context of the later books—is actually just a prelude to a prelude to even more preludes.
Looking back, I now see our first trips to Asia in much the same way. What once seemed like a completed journey through South Korea led to a second act. Suddenly, we realize how little we saw the first time and wonder if we are still overlooking something. Most likely, yes—but until we see it, we can’t be sure. It’s a paradox: the fact that you don’t see something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, yet at the same time, you can’t automatically assume that it must exist. Both approaches risk bending reality to fit one’s own perception, regardless of reality itself. Let’s stick to the facts.
We know for sure that the first trip was a prelude to the second, and the second will very likely be a prelude to a third. Each functions as a standalone experience, but with time, they form parts of a larger whole, which itself belongs to an even greater whole… A higher level of abstraction—perspective is key.
Taken out of context, this epilogue might seem like mindless rambling hidden within long, winding sentences. However, as knowledge accumulates—from the prologue, the daily accounts, previous Asian journeys, Dune, Children of Dune, the entire saga—its meaning deepens and gains new dimensions. At least, I hope so.
And so, with this, I conclude our account of our second visit to South Korea, fully aware that it is just another building block in our envisioned future work on upcoming travels. A higher level of abstraction.
-mj-