The Muddy Reality We Face
When we look around, it often feels as though we are all wading through an endless swamp. Everyone is trapped in the mud, unable to escape the messy, undignified struggles of survival. I deeply feel the agony of those who live without ever finding solid ground to stand on. Every single moment, I sense their inner turmoil—the pain of those wandering endlessly within themselves.
My friend, right now, do you understand what I am trying to tell you? Can you feel the profound solitude of those who, even in the most unfavorable and unforgiving circumstances, desperately wish to live without a single speck of shame, wanting the best for themselves and for everyone else? I have felt this every single moment. It is so isolating and lonely that it is almost unbearable. But, my friend, precisely because I am this lonely, I must keep moving forward. I know deep in my bones that this is my calling.
A First-Person Perspective on Solitude and Calling
As I walked for nine hours through the sinking mud, I realized that true empathy requires enduring the very same darkness that others are trapped in. When I see people struggling, lost in their own internal labyrinths, I don't just observe them; their pain becomes my own. My personal journey through this mud has taught me that feeling this extreme loneliness is not a curse, but a testament to our shared humanity. We are isolated because we care so deeply about maintaining our integrity in a world that constantly tries to pull us down into the mire. Recognizing this shared solitude gives me the strength to continue my march. It is a lonely path, but it is a necessary one to connect our fractured souls.
The Stars That Guide Us in the Dark
Ah... my friend, please do not look at me with such despair. I know. I am well aware that there seems to be no road left for us right now. But because of that very dead end, we all share one profound thing.
This air we breathe right in this moment, those stars floating high up in the sky—these are things that can only be felt by us, who are currently forced to stand still. People who are so absorbed in their own possessions that they never look back cannot feel these things. Even at this very moment, countless stars are being buffeted by the wind, fighting fiercely to remain untainted. You may not yet realize the massive significance this holds.
Proving Eternity by Loving What is Fading
I intend to stand among them, bearing their pain together, and silently walk the path given to me alongside them. And with them, I intend to love all of those things. It will not be easy... But the beauty of a thing that is destined to die, the eternity of value that is only proven through death... I intend to prove it by loving all dying things.
So, my friend. My dearly beloved friend. Even if our current situation is incredibly bleak and the end is nowhere in sight, leading you to despair... remember this: Even at this very moment, under the same sky, we—and everyone else—are loving all dying things.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the main message of Yoon Dong-ju's "Prologue"?
Yoon Dong-ju's "Prologue" (Seosi) is a masterpiece of Korean literature that expresses a pure, uncompromising desire to live a life without shame. The core message is the poet's commitment to love all dying things—embracing the fragile, the suffering, and the mortal with deep compassion while enduring the harsh winds of reality.
What does the "muddy path" symbolize in this essay?
The "muddy path" serves as a metaphor for the difficult, often degrading realities and systemic struggles we face in life. It represents a state of hardship where people feel ungrounded and trapped, contrasting with the pure, unchanging nature of the stars in the sky.
Why is it important to "love all dying things"?
To "love all dying things" is an act of ultimate empathy and spiritual resilience. It means recognizing the inherent value and beauty in fragile, mortal beings and choosing to offer warmth and love even in a world filled with despair and inevitable endings. It is how we prove the eternal value of humanity.
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