[One Thousand Characters a Day] 'Loneliness Class' <5> - Each Day Is a Gift

Editor's NoteKim Min-sik, a former MBC drama PD and bestselling author, faced fierce criticism for justifying his father's violence in a column he contributed to a newspaper in 2020. As a victim of domestic violence himself, he had no such intention. Although he could have gathered supporters to shield himself, his belief that the completion of writing lies in the reader's interpretation led him to let go of everything. Along with an apology, he stopped writing newspaper columns he had been working on for years and voluntarily resigned from the broadcasting station where he had worked for 24 years. He cut off contact with people and even closed his social media accounts that connected him with the public, asking himself the question, "How should I live from now on?" Slowly, he found his own answers in the tunnel of loneliness. He says, "Now that life expectancy is said to be 100 years, how should we endure when the time of loneliness becomes even longer? I have compiled the questions and answers I asked myself into a book. It is imperfect and lacking, but loneliness has taught me precious lessons." Word count: 930.

I saw several visually impaired people enjoying a walk on the Namsan Dulle-gil trail. Tactile paving blocks for the visually impaired have been installed, allowing them to walk safely. Even I, who was diagnosed with glaucoma, which is incurable, hope that someday I will walk Namsan using the sensation on the soles of my feet. I thought losing my eyesight would be the end of everything, but surprisingly, it’s okay.

The crisis in my life was writing a newspaper column poorly. After that incident, going to work became even harder. I felt like everyone was whispering about me. "That guy, who was so reckless, just crashed in one shot." "What can you do with that senior? He’s lost it now." When posts condemning me appeared online, I felt suffocated. It was as if they were cursing me, saying, "Human, why do you even live?"

To turn off the noisy delusions barking in my head, I chose solitude. I decided to quit my job, delete SNS apps, close my blog, and become thoroughly lonely. Only when I became lonely did I see myself. "Ah, I am truly pitiful." I felt sorry for myself, who was hated and resented by others and even resented by myself. So I decided to take care of myself. I repeated every day what I liked most. I read the books I wanted to read and walked the paths I wanted to walk. Fortunately, whenever I went to the library, there were always books I wanted to read, and whenever I went out, new scenery welcomed me every day.

When loneliness comes, greet it warmly. Now is the time to fully love yourself. I had lived forgetting myself while worrying about others’ eyes and swayed by the world’s judgments, but that self has come back to me. "Now, please take care of me." It was a little lonely and somewhat sad, but after repeatedly asking myself "How should I live?" the time passed quickly.

Now that life expectancy is said to be 100 years, how should we endure when the time of loneliness becomes even longer? It is time for everyone to prepare an answer.

"Life is a gift every single day."

- Kim Min-sik, Loneliness Lessons, Saenggakjeongwon, 18,000 KRW