South Korea is a world where 'comparison' is easier than ever.
As soon as you open social media, it is filled with the flashy 'charcoal (visible achievements)' of others,
and in comparison, my 'agarwood,' which I am silently preparing my own fragrance for, sometimes feels like nothing more than a useless piece of wood.
The young man in the story discovers a precious agarwood tree, but his resolve wavers when he sees the charcoal next door selling well at the market.
Agarwood: A treasure that requires time to rot and endure to reveal its true value.
Charcoal: A consumable that can be lit immediately, but leaves only ash once it burns.
Our lives are no different. Some people may appear to be falling behind others as they spend their time carving and refining the 'agarwood' of certifications, skills, or character. However, just because immediate results do not appear does not mean your efforts are worthless. 2. The Psychology of Korean Society Where 'Others' Seem Bigger' Why did the young person burn that precious wood? It is precisely because of 'anxiety.' Korean society is particularly sensitive to the 'appropriate age' and the 'average.'
Pushed by remarks like "Others have already earned this much" or "My friend has already been promoted," we often exchange the dream (agarwood) we were cultivating for charcoal that yields immediate profit.
"Comparison is the thief of happiness. — Theodore Roosevelt
You must stop making the mistake of burning a piece of your own agarwood out of envy for someone else's cartload of charcoal.
As it turns out, we were all born holding our own agarwood in our hands. To some, it may be 'honesty,' and to others, it may be 'artistic sensibility' or a 'warm heart toward people.'
Do not be impatient: Agarwood only emits its fragrance after undergoing the process of decay (patience).
Change your perspective: Do not be swayed by the reactions of the market (others), but study the values within yourself first.
True success: is not about selling a lot of charcoal, but about fully preserving and making the agarwood within you bloom.
The tears the father shed were not regret over the lost property, but
his son's 'self-esteem' and 'discernment' It must have been the sadness over what had collapsed.
Are you perhaps erasing your own uniqueness right now out of envy for someone else's life?That 'piece of wood' you possess actually holds a noble fragrance that cannot be exchanged for anything in the world.
