It’s a fairly tall mountain, though I don’t know its name. It’s not a colossal one like Hallasan or Jirisan, but it’s big enough that you have to take a break at least once while climbing. When I get to a high point and look down, my mind feels at peace for a moment. But soon, my tired body reminds me of reality. Sitting on the pavilion, I can see the Han River in the distance, and various types of trees catch my eye. Many people are seen coming and going, exercising. The pine trees, especially, keep their green appearance through spring, summer, fall, and winter, delighting the eyes all year round.
I hadn’t properly hiked like this before. When climbing the mountain, I used to challenge my children to a race, seeing who could run faster and higher. I was always first, but now I’m the one trailing behind. I used to be the fastest runner on the mountain, but now my children are much quicker than me. It’s in these small moments that I realize how much my life has changed. While my children were growing up, I wasn’t able to fully share that time with them.
Working every day was a happy thing for me. Of course, there were many difficult times at work, but I still thought my life was changing for the better. I wanted to earn more money, and I enjoyed reaching higher positions in my assigned tasks. I considered myself a “workaholic,” but when others called me one, I denied it. It was simply more comfortable for me to say it myself. And because I wanted to rise higher, to do better, and to just do a little better, I worked hard. So, I enjoyed it myself. I went hiking after a long time, and I really enjoyed it as I went. I lived my life without truly understanding it.
Seeing myself resting halfway up the mountain, unable to reach the summit, I truly feel how much I’ve changed from my old self. I, who once strived to reach the top faster than anyone, am now surpassed by my children, who easily take first place. I’ve become last, but seeing my children grow so much and climb the mountain more vigorously than me simply makes me feel good. A sense of pride washes over me at their growth.
But in the stillness this mountain offers, I gain another realization: even if I don’t reach the summit, the process of climbing the mountain itself holds meaning. These moments of walking slowly, looking at the surrounding scenery, and catching my breath with my children might just be the true happiness that my past self missed. It’s a peacefulness I could never have felt in a life solely dedicated to work, like a workaholic. However, even such realizations are easily forgotten in the daily reality, and the shadow of frustration often reappears.
My body is still uncomfortable, my speech is slurred, and my memory is incomplete. But by traversing these mountain paths, I am finding myself again. Slowly but steadily, and with my family. I believe this entire process will be a precious part of my recovery journey.
✅ Simple, Repetitive Word Practice – Speech Support (English)
- Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut Chestnut
- Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer Hammer
- Key Key Key Key Key Key Key Key Key Key
- Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed
- Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger
- Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk
- Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette Cigarette
- Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit
- Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp
- Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror
- Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket Blanket
- Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up Wash up
- Button Button Button Button Button Button Button Button Button Button
- Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses Glasses
- Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi