It was an afternoon when the sunset stretched long outside the window.
Suddenly, I thought of an old friend I hadn't been in touch with for a while, so I picked up my phone. As for this friend, he was someone who, even back in our school days, was called 'Dr.' because of his unusually sophisticated choice of words and his seriousness about everything.
After a few rings, his voice came through.
"Hello? Oh my, look who it is! It's been so long!"
While we were exchanging warm greetings, I casually asked about his recent whereabouts.
"Yeah, how have you been lately? Are you plotting something big?"
After a brief silence, his answer was truly shocking.
His voice was laced with a solemnity, as if he were a researcher carrying out a state-secret project.
"Yeah, these days... I'm conducting in-depth research on hot water treatment for ceramics, glass, aluminum, and stainless steel under continuous external constraints."
For a moment, I was stunned. 'Ceramics? Stainless steel? Hot water treatment research? External constraints?'
Complex chemical symbols and massive laboratory equipment began to swirl in my head.
'Has this guy really become a great engineer without me knowing? Or did he join a national research institute or something?
A sense of self-reproach washed over me.
While some people spend their days typing on keyboards in the same office, someone else is devoting himself to research on new material processes that will change the future of humanity.
I swallowed hard and asked cautiously.
"Wow... Hey, you're really amazing. But what exactly is that field?
Can't you explain it a little more simply? It's too high-level for me to understand."
My friend cleared his throat a few times looking troubled, then answered in a very low... and very 'human' voice mixed with a sigh.
"Ha... No, I mean... To put it simply, I am washing dishes with hot water right now while my mother watches from behind."
A hollow laugh burst out.
Ceramic was a 'bowl,' glass was a 'water cup,' and aluminum and stainless steel were 'pots and cutlery.' And the 'continuous external constraints' he mentioned were none other than 'his mother's fierce glare and nagging.' But a strange sense of emotion washed over me after the laughter. Just think about it. Even with the same dishwashing, there is a world of difference between saying, "It's a pain to die, but I do it reluctantly because Mom made me," and saying, "[Research on maintaining the cleanliness of kitchen utensils through hot water treatment methods." This is a 'shift in perspective' that goes beyond mere humor. The ability to redefine a boring and repetitive daily life in one's own language—isn't that precisely the 'wit' we need most as we live in this harsh world? Our daily lives are all 'national-level projects'. We sometimes underestimate our own lives. Boarding the hellish subway every morning is a 'test of efficiency for urban, densely populated transportation,' enduring a boss's nagging is a 'test of mental resilience in a high-pressure environment,' and agonizing over today's lunch menu is 'calculating an optimization algorithm between nutritional balance and economic expenditure.' My friend's quirky answer taught me a great lesson. It taught me that the moment I give a 'grand name' to every moment of my life, even the shabby corner of my room and my boring work desk instantly transform into a 'Great Lab.'
