Vera Koo Writes About Inspiration

Below are excerpts from a few of our favorite blogs, written by Vera Koo, about the subject of inspiration. We feel that Vera serves as an inspiration, with her life’s tale of overcoming adversity and heart breaking experiences as a mother and wife. ~ verakoo.com

Coronavirus Pandemic: How it Changed My Lifestyle

Eating cake while following an exercise class via Zoom? This is one of the many ways that Vera Koo found balance, and inspiration, while reimaging her life during the Pandemic.

The past few months, I have been thinking about the parable of a Chinese farmer and his horse and how it relates to the coronavirus pandemic.

As the parable goes, there’s a farmer who has a horse and a son. One day, the horse runs away, and the neighbors come by to express their condolences to the farmer. “This is most unfortunate,” the neighbors say. 

“Maybe,” says the farmer.

The next day, the horse returned and brought 7 wild horses along with him. The neighbors remarked at the farmer’s good fortune.

“Maybe,” says the farmer.

The next day, the farmer’s son tries to break in one of the wild horses. The son gets thrown off the horse and breaks his leg. The neighbors tell the farmer, “That’s too bad.”

“Maybe,” says the farmer.

The next day, army officers come by the farm to conscript soldiers. The farmer’s son avoids conscription because of his broken leg, and the neighbors remark at the good fortune.

“Maybe,” says the farmer.

The point of the parable, as its author Alan Watts wrote, is this: “You never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.”

I relate that to our situation amid this pandemic. Certainly, the coronavirus pandemic has brought sickness, death and economic and personal hardships. That is tragic.

But I learned throughout challenges in my life that God works in mysterious ways. Some of the cruelest hardships I encountered made me a stronger, better person years later, even though I could not see that during my time of struggle.

Continue reading this blog post here.

Twenty-Five Yards: Set Small Goals – For Shooting and Life

Vera Koo suffers a terrible injury while she’s alone, practicing on the range. Mustering all of her strength, she is able to help herself in her most desperate hour.

Twenty-five yards isn’t far to travel – unless, of course, your leg is broken.

That’s the situation I found myself in during an April day in 2013 at the gun range near Columbia, Mo. I was training for the upcoming Bianchi Cup, the biggest annual event on my calendar. I spent the afternoon practicing alone on the range on a cold, damp day. I only needed to clean up, and I could return to my vehicle and head back to my hotel.

The Big Accident

As I stepped over a rope en route to a garbage can, part of my boot got caught, and I fell. I felt searing pain in my right leg. After inspecting of my injury, I knew I had broken my leg.

There was no one on the range to help me. The nearest road was 75 yards away. And, on that dreary day, it was unlikely there would be much traffic on that gravel road, so there was no point in yelling for help. Spending the night on the wet ground and waiting for help to arrive the next day wasn’t appealing, especially because I did not know the severity of my injury and what further damage I could cause by not getting immediate medical attention.

My last resort was my cell phone, which was locked in my SUV, twenty-five yards away.

Continue reading this blog post here.

Inspiration at The WON

Read Vera Koo’s full catalog of blogs, first published by Women’s Outdoor News.