[One Sip of a Book] "Humans Are Puzzle Pieces of Different Shapes, No Need to Change Who You Are"

Editor's NoteSome sentences encapsulate the entire content of a book, while others immediately resonate with readers and create a connection with the book. Here, we introduce such meaningful sentences excerpted from books.

Dr. Gladys McGarey, a world-renowned physician known as the "Mother of Holistic Medicine," shares her 80 years of medical practice and over a century of life experience. She has treated countless patients, cared for six children, and built a large family spanning five generations. She has also endured hardships such as dyslexia, gender discrimination, two battles with cancer, and divorce. Despite these challenges, she reveals the secret to filling her 103 years of life with joy and vitality.

Everyone deserves to experience the moment when they realize their own value. Each of us has a reason for being born on this earth, and we must learn, grow, and use our talents in the world. When we are able to live this way, a creative life force overflows within us. I call this force "vitality." This vitality is the very reason we live. From it, we gain fulfillment and joy. When love moves our lives, we gain vitality. Vitality is the energy we derive from what is valuable and important in our lives. My parents found vitality in caring for those who were marginalized. "Everyone has a reason for being born into this world." This is the first secret I want to share with you. - <pp. 55-56>

A sense of purpose reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and prevents the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms. Research also shows that volunteering is associated not only with reduced mortality risk but also with increased happiness. This means that living with a sense of purpose actually has a positive impact on living longer and healthier. The joy that a sense of purpose brings to our lives spreads to the world around us. In holistic medicine, a healthy body is seen as interconnected with a healthy soul, and furthermore, a healthy soul is interconnected with a healthy world. When we take care of our soul and mind, the world also becomes healthier. This is because we are all connected, communicate well with one another, and harmonize with each other. - <p. 71>

I like to compare individuals to puzzle pieces, because each piece maintains its own unique characteristics. Without having to change into something other than ourselves, we can come together as we are to complete the puzzle. No matter what shape someone else's piece takes, there is no need to judge or measure it. Likewise, there is no need to strive to be just like others, nor to worry about others judging the shape of our own piece. - <p. 74>

In modern society, where being busy is considered a virtue, it is not easy to find one's own right path. We dream of succeeding in everything we do and judge our success by the standards set by society. Success is often measured by how others perceive our work skills, or by the money and privileges we gain from our work. In reality, happiness is much more about how we feel about ourselves than these things. We suffer when we chase after what others do, work out of a sense of obligation, or force ourselves into roles that do not suit us. - <pp. 85-86>

Young people?by my standards, anyone under the age of 99 is young, but especially teenagers and those in their twenties?need hobbies that help them relieve stress. This is because people today are exposed in real time to all kinds of crises happening around the world. We are experiencing more serious crises than ever before, from issues of social inequality and injustice to environmental problems and imminent dangers caused by the way humans live on Earth. This sense of crisis, while providing us with very useful information, is meaningless if we do not use it. If we become paralyzed by this sense of crisis, or fail to learn and develop activities that bring us joy, we lose our vitality and our potential to live as someone who contributes to the world diminishes. People can live a truly fulfilling life when they enjoy various interests and gain vitality from them. - <p. 90>

On the Attitude Toward Life That Brings Greater Happiness With Age | Written by Gladys McGarey | Translated by Lee Juman | 432 pages | 21,000 KRW