[Haruchunja] Until the Last Day of Life <3>

Editor's NoteIf you want to be free, you just need to be honest. Honestly observe and accept all phenomena. Do not fit yourself into others' standards; instead, knit your own sweater that perfectly fits you. For those who want to live a heart-pounding life every day, those who struggle to endure loneliness that never becomes familiar, and those who wish to face the inevitable death with composure, the choreographer Hong Shin-ja offers the mantra of "honest freedom." Only those who understand their emotions and can naturally express them can take firm roots that do not waver even in strong winds. To those entangled in fine roots and bound by reality while seeking freedom, she says: step away, even if just for a moment, from restraint, oppression, and fear, and dance and love with all your might in the stillness. Until the last day of life. Word count: 808.

I always like the "now." I live in the "now," love the "now," and think about the "now." When I see a rainbow, I want to dance and sing, dream of wishes, and kiss. Compared to when I was young, I feel much freer now, fully enjoying the present. Doing my best in each moment, I keep away from habitual behaviors that hinder my freedom. Rather than continuously thinking about what has already happened, I try simply to accept it. Since everything is created from my perspective anyway, I try to empty it with my own strength.

The good thing about aging is gaining this new perspective. Until a few years ago, I was completely different from who I am now. At the end of relationships, I used to feel disappointment or regret. But now, there is neither resentment nor lingering attachment. I just lay out those feelings like playing a game of baduk (Go). Without attaching any "why" to them, I leave those emotions there and move on for today. Returning repeatedly to "why" means I am still immature. "Why" has no end. Asking endless questions traps you in the past and ultimately creates a state of unfreedom. Going back to the past is tantamount to regression. You must stop extending the thread of thought and cut it off. Today is always more important than yesterday, so you must not keep holding onto the threads of the past. You need to practice returning to the present. Practice continuously thinking about whether you are missing precious time, practice not digging into the past, and practice emptying and purifying unnecessary thoughts and emotions. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Let us seek freedom by doing our best in each moment.

- Hong Shin-ja, Until the Last Day of Life, Dasan Books, 17,500 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.