A Special Thanks to South Korea

I just feel like I need to give a special thanks to South Korea. I have lived in South Korea for a year and a half and since traveled back three times. I remember when I first arrived and felt the overwhelming love from the people. From getting around in the subways to catching the right bus, so many people have gone out of their way to help me and make sure I was OK. I can't thank you enough. I remember multiple times eating dinner at restaurants where the cooks would make something extra for me to try or the waitresses/waiters would give me a drink on the house. I never felt like I was taken advantage of, I fully trusted everyone and had positive experiences nearly every day. Your culture is so rich and I want to thank you for sharing it with me. I had so many opportunities to visit heritage sites, learn about your culture, listen to kpop, try new food, cook new food, make homemade kimchi, try taekwondo, have chats with old people (most of the time I had now idea what was being said, but still it was nice to visit), teach English to Elementary students, teach English to adults, volunteer at churches, volunteer at orphanages, run a marathon, hike the beautiful Seoraksan Mountains, go to the spas, watch movies, watch Korean dramas, go to concerts, sing karaoke, dance, go to weddings, go to funerals, and just simply walking around the big cities and small villages - just to take in the beauty of South Korea. I have never traveled to a place I have loved so much. I have never met people I have instantaneously loved so much. I will also speak highly of South Korea and its amazing people! I hope to return soon! Know that Ben Wilkey is grateful for you, South Korea, and I love you very much!

Time

I watched this video last week and it has consumed my thoughts. Watch it.

How are you spending your time?  If I look back at my last year, I would say that I spent most of my time working.  If you read any blog about old people giving advice to the younger generations, one strain of advice is common, "I wish I would have spent more time with my loved ones."  Nobody wishes they would have worked more, especially a job they didn't enjoy.

There are 2 quotes that I live by: "It's all about the relationships" and "People are the best part of life."  I feel when I have this perspective, I am a lot happier and truer to myself and what's important.  Lately, I feel as if I have been off track and focused more on money and work.  This video came across my path at the perfect time and I am thankful for it. I feel like work has consumed my life and it is time to take a step back.

Ask yourself how you would feel if you died tomorrow?  I know that might sound morbid, but really reflect and be honest with yourself.  How would you view your life on earth?  Would you have any regrets, and if so, what would they be?

For me, I would regret not spending more time with people and slowing down my life.  I would regret not sitting down with my mom and dad and asking them how they are doing, rather than rambling on about my life.  I would regret not enjoying sunsets more or taking time to really enjoy nature and my surroundings.  I would regret that I spent more time in front of a computer instead of with people.  I would regret hours that I spent watching sports and not playing sports.  Ultimately, I would regret my time and more specifically, time with my loved ones.

Good news.  You are still alive and you are not dying tomorrow.  Use your regrets and turn them into action.  Consider this a second chance.  Life is too precious to continue living how you don't want to. Spend more time with your family.  Turn off your laptops.  Appreciate the simple things.  Enjoy the conversations and relationships.  Find the joy in your work and if you don't enjoy your job, look for something that you do enjoy.  It's time we appreciate life more.  If you don't know where to start, start appreciating the people in your life.  They are what makes life great.

You see, time is so precious, because we can't get more of it.  It can't be bought, only used.  We can't control how much is allotted to us, but we CAN decide how we spend it.

How are you spending your time?

Life is only as good as the people in it

Life is only as good as the people in it. 

Throwin’ down some real ish now.  I just got back from a business trip to South Korea.  South Korea holds a special place in my heart, because I spent a year and a half there at perhaps the most crucial point in my life.  I was debating whether to join the National Guard or study abroad and teach English.  As destiny had it, I received a scholarship to Korea and the rest is history.  During my time, I never could have imagined the world that opened up to me.  I met some of the best people from all over the world and I am still friends with them today. 

Present time.  Needless to say, I was excited to go back.  I had an educational fair in Busan (the 2^nd largest city in South Korea) and a 2-day fair in Seoul.  I was able to go to my university, Keimyung University in Daegu as well.  Although the trip was great and I was in a country that I loved, I couldn’t help but feeling lonely.  I felt empty the entire trip.  I walked the same streets that I walked hundreds of times and ate at the same restaurants, but it wasn’t the same.  While in Daegu, I felt like I had a memory on nearly every block in Jungagno and Banwaldong, but this time was different.  All I had were memories.  When I took a step back, I realized that there really isn’t anything particularly cool in Korea, but my friends and the people that I met made Korea what it is and was for me.  This is an ultimate shout out to THE PEOPLE.  At this moment, I came to the realization that, “Life is only as good as the people in it!”  I know that probably sounds cliché, but I don’t care – it’s true.  I have had the pleasure of meeting and knowing the best people in the world and although I might not have been as grateful for you guys back then, I sure am now. 

I kind of felt like Marius from “Les Miserables”, minus the Kermit the Frog vibrato, when he sings “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables”.  Not nearly as sad or depressing, nobody I know has passed away or been killed, but I experienced a sliver of his pain ha ha.  I don’t know why I am laughing. 

In a nutshell, this isn’t meant to be some life changing post, but it was a great realization to appreciate the people in your life.  

I look back at perhaps the best summer of my life.  I was 23 and I moved home for the summer with my 2 younger brothers.  I had a small Chevy s10 that had like 200,000 miles on it and no money.  My brothers, Sam and Jon were poorer than I was and we drove around Logan like we owned the place.  We didn’t do anything particularly awesome, but our Winger and cinefour nights were pretty bad-a.  I had a blast being with them, not because we were in an awesome place or did tons of awesome things.  I was with the best people and we had a heck of a time.

I am sure we can all reflect times in our lives that were amazing and realize, aside from the people, they weren’t or wouldn’t be as great.  So, appreciate your loved ones.  Something I learned last summer that I kind of forgot lately was that people are the most important part of life.  Without people, we are nothing and we have nothing.  I truly believe that if we love, appreciate and take care of the people in our lives now, that it doesn’t really matter what happens after this life.  That is the most important thing we can do. 

Life is only as good as the people in it.