I met the other parents of my children today. The parents of my first and second children gathered, seemingly to play soccer. I, too, had always loved soccer. There’s a soccer field near our home, and I used to kick the ball around with my kids there a bit. The adult men would watch the children’s soccer games, or even play themselves, working up a sweat, then taking a break with a drink when they got tired. The dads with more energy would keep playing, while the tired ones would rest briefly and cheer on the children’s game.
The children were full of energy. They had grown so much more than before. “Yes, that’s right. The children are really changing a lot.” That thought came to me. It broke my heart that I hadn’t been able to play with them much all this time. I used to travel frequently to India for work, and it weighed heavily on my mind to think how much the children must have changed while I was hospitalized. The regret washed over me that the children were truly changing so much, that this time was so precious, and that I had truly wasted it. I felt so much regret for the lost time.
Some people approached me and asked, curious about why I was injured, why I became sick. To be honest, I didn’t really know why I got hurt either. So, I couldn’t properly explain what kind of problem led to my condition. I wanted to speak well, but all I could say was, “Hmm… I don’t really know.” It took about a year for me to vaguely understand why I became like that, but at the time, I truly knew nothing.
What I learned later was that my injury was related to excessive stress. At the time, when I was trying to work too much, my head kept hurting. My head would throb and ache multiple times while working. But I just thought it was part of the stress of working, almost a normal thing. I’d soothe myself by thinking, “This much is okay,” “Everyone goes through this,” and brushed it off. I failed to properly recognize the warning signs my body was sending.
At that time, I never dreamed I would be so severely injured. My only thought was to work hard and to do better. But the cost was immense. I couldn’t fully participate in my children’s growth, and I caused great worry and burden to my family. At this moment, watching my children energetically play, I once again keenly feel the preciousness of the time I lost.
These belated realizations make me even more upset. Regret washes over me: why did I ignore my body’s signals then? Why was I so obsessed with work? But now, I have to change. I will not miss this precious time with my children. Although my body isn’t what it used to be, I will continue to strive to be a better father to my children and to offer a small comfort and hope to others who are experiencing pain like me. I am living today so that all these experiences are not in vain.
✅ Simple, Repetitive Word Practice – Speech Support (English)
- Ant Ant Ant Ant Ant Ant Ant Ant Ant Ant
- Skates Skates Skates Skates Skates Skates Skates Skates Skates Skates
- Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe Syringe
- Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk
- Finger Finger Finger Finger Finger Finger Finger Finger Finger Finger
- Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves Gloves
- Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp Shrimp
- Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush Toothbrush
- Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi Taegeukgi
- Car Car Car Car Car Car Car Car Car Car
- Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit
- Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple
- Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator Refrigerator
- Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon Balloon
- Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree Tree