Back in 2007, I was on my first trip to South Korea over the summer. As we visited the quaint Jeju Island just off the coast of the country, my mother decided to buy me a souvenir so I could remember my experience after I went back to the States. It is a  Korean snake (뱀) statue, dressed in a warrior's armor, with a sword at its side. She got me this so that I could display it on my desk and be reminded to two things every time I see it.

The first is that this snake, along with the eleven other animals of the zodiac, is an important symbol in Korean Buddhism. My family back in Korea are primarily Buddhist. The twelve zodiac animals serve as the Twelve Spirit Generals of the Buddha, who protect the Buddha's teachings with both power and virtue—hence the sword at the side of the snake. Looking at the statue reminds me of the importance of religion and what it means to my family.

Second, is that I would be reminded of the qualities of the snake. My mother told me that being born in the snake year meant that I would be cunning and intelligent. But at the same time, she warned that I could also be cold-hearted and deceptive, just as the snake is depicted in stories. This aspect of the statue reminds me to always be mindful of my positive and negative traits. I make sure to keep the good personality traits in the back of my mind as I pass by the statue—and to avoid exhibiting the negative ones.

– Eric

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