Chapter 26 The precious gift my age gave me

After finishing the trip to Gangwon-do, the journey back to Seoul seems far away but is close at hand.Looking at the constantly changing scenery outside the window, there is a kind of indescribable melancholy.I thought that the past was like a long nightmare, forgotten far away, but I didn't expect to meet someone who remembered it, which made me feel both happy and grateful.The precious memories of living in my hometown in Sindang-dong with my parents, and the time of living with my mother in Cheong Wa Dae are as beautiful and short as a dream to me. While being gradually forgotten by people, I found stability and peace.It felt like I was walking on a mountain road in high heels and suddenly changed to a pair of sneakers.When I visited the Tomb of Duanjong in Yeongwol County, I thought that this is the so-called happiness when I walked in the pine forest that still glowed green in the cold winter.

At that time, I took my first step as a literati and published "If I Can Be Born in an Ordinary Family", which gathered my daily life and thoughts, and then released a collection of essays "After all, it is a hand, after all, it is a point".Before I knew it, I also became a member of the Literati Association.I read a variety of books in different fields, copied down good sentences and took notes to accumulate my self-cultivation, and lived an ordinary life like this.Those notes written at that time are still the compass of my life.

After turning forty, my heart has become more tolerant, which is a gift given to me by age.The vision of looking at the world has also become softer.While the years have left fine lines at the corners of my eyes, it also reveals my age, so I don't look strange at all.Occasionally, when I saw my mother's shadow on my face, I felt a sense of peace of mind. I am very content with this kind of peace every day. People often ask me if I want to return to politics, and I refuse without hesitation. The year I graduated from college, my mother seemed to have considered marrying me off.One fine spring day, while drinking tea with my mother, my mother brought up the topic of marriage.

"Which type is your ideal type?" "I haven't thought about this question specifically, so I don't know how to answer you yet." "Think about it carefully and tell me. The happiest thing in life is to find a good partner to live with each other." If my mother hadn't passed away, I would probably be living the life of a housewife in an ordinary family like ordinary people.But that kind of day is already a dream that ended when I was young.After replacing my mother as the first lady, I have been so busy every day that I have no time to think about love and marriage.Because she was the president's daughter in college, she had no freedom at all.Thinking about it now, I don't seem to have ever talked about a decent relationship.

Like a camel crossing the desert, my youth was spent silently, but I never miss it or regret it.Every moment I made the best choice, every step I took was worth it.But occasionally on the road, I see old couples who get married and have children, and walk together holding hands. The ordinary little happiness is so beautiful and precious.Maybe it's because I haven't had that kind of life, so I feel even more precious. If I want to buy tofu and other ingredients early in the morning, I will go to the small grocery store near my home. Every time I go to the store, I will always see young couples who have been busy working since the early morning.I really like watching them work hard, so I gave up buying ingredients in a big supermarket and became a customer of this small grocery store.The husband was sweating profusely while carrying the heavy load, while the young wife took a towel to help him wipe off his sweat. Looking at the two of them, I couldn't help but smile knowingly.With the hard-earned money saved bit by bit like this, they will use the money to send their children to school, buy their own houses, and dream of a leisurely life in their later years.It can be seen that the couple have a firm belief in each other, and believe that no matter what difficulties they encounter, they must have a way to get through it together.In the eyes of others, although the grocery store is too small and inconspicuous, what I see in my eyes is that as long as the two work together and run it happily, nothing will be difficult for them.This young couple gave me such confidence.

Just like the wisdom of life cannot be accumulated in a day, happiness will not come to you by itself. Only those who are prepared and hardworking can taste the fruit of happiness. Before returning to politics, it would not be an exaggeration to say that I was living my studies every day.Although life has nothing to do with politics, I read newspapers and TV news every day, and have never stopped caring and worrying about this country. During the 15 years of my life at Cheong Wa Dae, I also became a patriot without choice.When slander and rumors about my father spread, I was advised to leave Korea for a while, but I couldn't.This is the country where I was born and raised, this is my land.No matter which country you go to live in, it is not as confident and happy as living in your own country.No matter how painful and exhausting I am, I will finish my life in my country and rest in this land.