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One of the joys of living in this neighborhood is having several forests nearby, where I can slip into nature for a walk whenever I wish—and, with autumn’s arrival, enjoy the maitake and cauliflower mushrooms that spring up from the earth. Unfortunately, over the past two years, perhaps due to unusual weather patterns, mushrooms have been scarce, and my footsteps through the woods have often felt heavy with disappointment.

This year, I hoped things would be different. Since mid‑August, I have been searching diligently almost every day, yet I have managed to find only three cauliflower mushrooms. With my long‑awaited trip to Korea coming next month, my heart has grown impatient, wondering why there has been no sign of maitake. Today, too, I feared it would be another fruitless walk. But suddenly something caught my eye. As I approached, there it was—an adorable little maitake, gently bowing its head toward me.

Truly, nothing is more fickle than the human heart. Yet once again, hope welled up warmly within me. O Lord, I thank You for granting me this maitake today as an answer to prayer.