"Now That I Have Lived": The Final Wisdom of Professor Jang Young-hee

In a world obsessed with curation—curating our feeds, our appearances, and our achievements—it is easy to lose sight of what actually constitutes a life well-lived.

Recently, I revisited a profound passage by the late Jang Young-hee, a beloved South Korean essayist and Professor of English Literature. Her life was not easy. Contracting polio as a child, she spent her life fighting the stigma of disability in a conservative society. Later, she battled cancer, which eventually claimed her life in 2009 at the age of 56.

Now that I have lived

Writing from her sickbed, shortly before she passed, she penned her final thoughts in a book titled The Miracle I Have Lived, The Miracle I Will Live. Her words, written with the clarity that often comes at the end of a journey, offer a piercing reality check for those of us still in the thick of the race.

Now that I have lived life...

I realized that people don't care nearly as much about other people's lives as we think. When they look at others, whether out of envy or pity, it rarely goes beyond simple curiosity or the level of a spectator.

Now that I have lived life...

I realized that whether you are carrying a luxury handbag or a plastic bag, the only thing that truly matters is the contents inside.

Now that I have lived life...

I realized how foolish it is to set my goals based on other people’s standards of value. I realized what a waste of time it is to compare myself to others, and that doing so is a foolish act that only lowers my own worth.

Now that I have lived life...

I realized that in the end, the important thing is not the shell, but the substance. It isn't the appearance, but the heart. Beautiful and handsome people can be seen on TV or watched on the street; what matters more is building my own substance.

Studying with joy to build ability, playing seriously to build experience, and treating others genuinely to build virtue—that was the true substance of life.

Now that I have lived life...

I realized that the kindness and love I gave never resulted in a loss. They say it takes an hour to meet a precious person, and a day to fall in love with them, but it takes a lifetime to forget them.

Now that I have lived life...

I realized there is no investment more guaranteed than remaining as a good memory in someone else's heart.

At our age, we have lived through enough, haven't we? We are now at an age where we can distinguish between what is precious and what is futile. An age where we deeply realize what truly matters.

For the time we have left, may we be the kind of people who embrace one another, offer deep comfort, empathize, and realize the preciousness of living together.

I shared this on my Korean blog earlier today, but I felt these words were too precious to keep to just one language. I hope this translation resonates with you and brings a moment of reflection to your day. Thank you for reading.