(This article is written by a Korean who loves books. Please understand if there are any awkward expressions.)
In November 2023, something significant occurred in my life.
I attained the 'freedom' I had been longing for and gained independence from the first company I had been employed at for over 16 years.
Rather than experiencing sheer joy from this newfound 'freedom,' it was a period where I felt burdened by the weight of its reality, realizing the true responsibility now resting solely on my shoulders.
While I said it was to focus on my personal work, it was also a time when I realized that the direction of my work, which I had prepared little by little before leaving the company, would have to start from scratch.
As I thought about leaving the company, it would take a while for my work to be ready and publicized, and I was a little disappointed that I would no longer have a business card to tell people about me, who would be a stranger to some. So, I thought I should create a website that would stay with me for a long time and that I could pass on in place of my business card no matter what gap in my life comes again.
Coincidentally, something happened to me that gave me a lot of motivation to create that website. Around that time, something happened that made me immerse myself in writing for a short period of time. Surprisingly, when I was in elementary school, I wrote a book review every day for the joy of sharing my reading reviews with my father. Although I had never written a voluntary book review before, I began to feel the joy of writing a book review.
As I wrote my reading review, I realized that there must be people somewhere like me who would be happy to write and share things like this (although it wasn't common around me...^^:). And even with those people, I always felt the disappointment of “open chat”. When I thought that it would be good to work with people who love books and writing for a long time while resolving the irrationality that 'members who join later cannot know the introductions and stories shared before, and in order to share them properly every time, the introductions and stories must be repeated.' It was.
So, I decided to start my web with a site called Wisdomflow.
After actually making it, I was worried about whether there would be people with the same tastes as me, but within a few days of opening the site, I was able to gather more members to join than I expected. They were the first group of members who took the 30-day continuous (including holidays) challenge, which I love so much. They gave me unforgettable memories in my life and made me feel like it was fate to create Wisdomflow.
What I felt after the first period was that in order to become a space where members could participate and rest at a time when they needed it in their lives, we needed to work with more people who love books and writing.
So, in order not to burden the first group of members with just my desire to be with them, I did not ask them separately and ended up recruiting the second group. Thankfully.. most of the 1st group members are back with us!! The second period started immediately without a short recruitment period.
As I progressed through the 1st and 2nd periods, even though it was the site I had dreamed of, it gave me the joy of sharing reading reviews beyond my expectations, and through that sharing, I realized, 'There are so many people in the world who are like me!' Are you online, where do you live, who are you? .I felt like lifelong friends among members whose faces I did not even know. I don't know the reason for those who love books and try to write about their feelings, but I found out that there are quite a few people who are 'the same as me' and are pursuing the values that I want to pursue. . Basically, people who love books and writing are probably similar people in the larger scheme of things. That's what I thought.
It was a very surprising discovery, and beyond the small advantage of knowing that with Wisdom Flow, I would never let go of books and writing for any period of my life, it may have been fate that created this group. This got me thinking.
I don't like forcing others, and I always feel like I shouldn't do that, so I can't say that to the members I want to spend the rest of my life with. 'I hope so.' There are times when I say that, but I always tell you that it is my wish, and I am prepared that any member will be able to completely leave Wisdom Flow and immerse themselves whenever the need arises. I believe that my job as the founder of this group is to maintain this place so that members who have been here at any time can come back whenever they need to 'fill up'.
When I recently retired from my first job, I announced it to many people on the same day. I expressed my intention to leave the company four times and continued to be discouraged by the leader. Finally, I decided to take some time to think, and during that time, I made a decision and directly announced my intention to leave the company to the HR team a month before leaving. Maybe it was because my time at the company was not short, but on the same day... I received a sudden email, and there were so many emails and messengers that I couldn't handle it, and colleagues who worked with me came to visit me.
That day, when I received my resignation email... 4 people shed tears as they said their final goodbyes.
Most of the time we were together, we laughed a lot and had fun, and even though it was hard, it was a time where we really ran together and looked at each other. Although it wasn't all tears, I don't think I will forget the tears and eyes that they gave me at the end.
The time we spent together has already passed, but these were moments where I could once again feel Allen Ginsberg's poem, 'The things I once loved will be mine forever.'
These times when I laugh and write hard comments to learn from members' posts at Wisdom Flow, be moved, and empathize with them, these times that I truly loved will remain mine forever, no matter how much time passes. These days, I feel in my heart the poem, 'Even if I let them go, they come back to me in a circle and become a part of me.'
In my life, I have often been contacted by people who passed away at unexpected times (especially juniors at the company). Different organizations, overseas dispatch, my period of parental leave, juniors who have changed jobs, any time... This is news that thinks of me, asks me how I am, or conveys my regards when I am in a completely different place. You know how much emotion and joy such events bring in everyday life. I am grateful that they thought of me as a person in their busy lives and daily lives, and I was also grateful that they remembered me as someone who would welcome them at any time, even if they suddenly contacted me after a lot of time had passed.
I hope Wisdom Flow members will remember me and this place like that. Whenever you need it, come together to grow and support us, run again, and spread good news! I hope it becomes a place where we get together like that!!
. A book reader who was always full of passion and spirit, and was able to digest and convey difficult books very well.
. Thank you to Slovey, who is a working mother of two, a blogger, and has participated in our challenge while preparing for her own business.
. Cotton Candy, who thought you left during the challenge and was very disappointed, but had no way to contact you. However, Cotton Candy maintained his own pace and came and shared whenever he was ready.
. Ms. Chaeksongi, full of energy, chose a different career path from his four years of studies and passionately pursued business and self-development.
. It turned out that he always gave us joy and pleasure together with his endless brightness and silence. Ms cucumber, who was sick all November, but showed that he could put it behind him. ㅠ
. Moist Danbi, whom I first suggested to switch from meeting once a week to meeting every day, because I felt like she would become another lifelong friend whom I met at Wisdom.
. Immersion, leading by example, and giving the gift of writing that changes every day and is expected, 'This person can be a reading mentor to people in the future.' It occurred to me that I gave the “Reading Group Leader” badge first to Sirang Mom.
If I were alone... I would have made excuses and stayed away from books and writing, but I am so grateful to the 2nd class members who became my pacemakers in November 2023!
These are the books I read and wrote about in November.
. Physics in Every Moment - Carlo Rovelli (complete reading)
. There is no more important period than the ages of 4 to 7. - Lee Im-sook (This is a fully read book, but I compiled it by re-reading it after being inspired by members' parenting books.)
. Self-management theory - Dale Carnegie (re-read)
. How does a community become a brand weapon - Seungyoon Lee (reading)
. Cold Start - Andrew Chen (completely read, I bought it and couldn't put it down, it was like a burden on my mind, but I finished it. ^^)
. Portrait of a Younger Day - Lee Mun-yeol. (A brief review of a book I have already read, a book that will appear again at any time)
. Korean startups that beat large corporations - Seongjun Lim (reading)
. Startup Management Class - Kwon Do-gyun (Complete reading)
After experiencing the challenge twice, I felt that the end of the challenge could be 'completion', but it could also be 'farewell', which led me to write an emotional post. However, I always support our members to achieve their ultimate goals and achieve happiness! Thanks and best regards,
Notebook.
#Reading review #Reading challenge #Reading challenge review #Some things you once loved will be yours forever #Allen Ginsberg #Some things #Leavingthejob #Complete #Farewell #Friendsinlife #Tears #Online reading group #Reading group #Readingreviewgroup #Wisdomflow
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