Late bloomer

As spring flowers wilt and other flowers bloom in their place, I ponder on the course of nature. Flowers do not bloom at once, not clambering over who gets to come first. They patiently wait for their turn to bloom. No flower is considered ugly because it blooms last. On the contrary, some flowers that take time to bloom live longer. Perhaps the same can be said for our lives. I prefer flowers that take their time blooming, as they endure the wind and enjoy the sunshine over flowers that bloom in full early.

I was 20 when I first started writing lyrics for songs. A friend of mine who read my writing advised me to write lyrics. I began to earn fame after I wrote “My Loneliness Calls You” for singer Jang Pil-soon. That’s how I started as a lyricist. Later I became a singer-songwriter adding songwriting and singing to my profession.

It was painfully difficult when I returned to the music scene after seven years of parenting. My children were young and required much of my time. After staying up late hours recording and performing, I would return home to chaos and frustration. I spent many days in tears, but in retrospect, those days were times building up on sunshine, taking in the rain, and amassing fertilizer. I learned the value of gratitude back then, when I couldn’t spend my time on music when I wanted to. It is with genuine gratitude and happiness as I profess that I can do the things I love as a profession.

Moreover, I believe that my life has not bloomed yet. My time to bloom is slow and still yet to come. I cannot wait for that period to arrive; maybe that time of waiting is the most grateful blessing to me.