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Some parts of my book
- Thread starter Renji
- Start date
Renji
Well-Known Member
Here's some part of the Chapter 1
Chapter I: Who am I?
Annyeong Hasaeyo! Cheonun Lee Baek Jo Imnida (Hello! I am Lee Baek Jo). How do you do, my dear reader? First of all, I would like to thank you for reading my humble work. This is the first book that I've written ever. I hope that you would enjoy reading this. Writing a book is one of the toughest, but is also the most rewarding task that I've done so far. Upon seeing this book on one of the shelves found in the book store where you bought this and perhaps browsing through some of its pages, I know that one of questions you are probably thinking of right now is this: Who exactly is Lee Baek Jo? Why did he write this book? What's this book for? Well, maybe you're not really thinking of those things alright, but I want to be closer to you my dear. I want you to be my friend. Take it this way: I am a person who's just new in your neighborhood. I don't know anyone in the neighborhood yet, but then you smiled at me. So as a response, I smiled back and greeted you. Few days later, you've gained my trust and at the same time I've gained your trust also. That made me think; perhaps we'll be good friends. Since I want to be friends with you, I think it's good for us to know each other. I'll start by saying some things about myself.
Getting to know each other
I am Lee Baek Jo. Sounds Korean? Well, that's correct. I am half South Korean and half Filipino. By the way, you can also call me by my nickname BJ or by my English name, Lawrence. I've been living here in the Philippines since I was young. In fact, I am more fluent in Filipino language than Hangeul. I know more than "Kamusta ka?" (How are you?) "Maganda ka." (You're pretty) and "Mahal kita" (I love you). That is why sometimes, those who met me for the first time are quite amazed and say "Aba, ang galing naman ng Koreanong ito magtagalog." (Wow, this Korean guy is good in speaking Filipino). That's what made me easily mingle with the Filipino locals, as well as my relatives on my mother's side who is a Filipina and our Korean relatives on my father's side. I know both sides of these two cultures.
I was raised in a Catholic family born November 19, 1992, the eldest son of Lee Baek Ho and his wife, Mary. Yes, I am a Catholic, but I am not exactly the type whom you should look at if you are looking for someone that you could "idolize" in terms of faith. I've been through different ups and downs in spite of my youth. In fact, there's a time in my life where in I actually felt like nobody cares for me. Even the God that I believe in. Pressure from studies, demands from my parents and family problems all combined and made me depressed. You know what? I feel so down that time that I attempted suicide.
Oh Lord, God of my life… Do not forsake me
As I said, there was a time- just last year actually, when I felt that the world is on my shoulders and that no one truly cares for me. That was the time when I discovered that my dad cheated on my mom, and that affair actually has a fruit, my half brother. I met him in a quite dramatic way. Let me share with it you.
It was September 22, 2012, just an ordinary day. I just arrived from the university. I was dead tired of doing school works and preparing for activities of Red Cross Youth Council- since I am the president of that organization on our university. I immediately entered my room, locked the door and fell asleep. After quite some time, I was awakened by the noise outside my room. "Mom, dad, what are you doing in there? I want to sleep." No one's answering and the noise still continues. So I decided to check it out, only to find out that it is caused by a six year old, playing my toys when I was a kid. "Hey there cutie." I said. "It's the first time I saw you. Are you a cousin or a nephew of mine?" The boy didn't respond and hugged me. He said: "You are from that room where my dad said hyung-ah (brother) is sleeping. You are my older brother, right?" Upon hearing that, I didn't know what to say. I just stood up there in front of him while he's hugging me so tightly. Then, I removed his arms off me and said "Cutie, I appreciate the fact that you are thinking that I am your older brother. But I am not him. In fact, I don't have any siblings." and smiled at him. The boy then cried badly. My dad who is on the second floor of our house that time, immediately hurried down and attended to the child to calm him down. Then after that, he pulled me on a corner and told me " Baek Jo, I know that you don't know about this and that it will not be that easy for you to accept, but that kid you just met….. is your half brother. He is In-So, the result of my affair to another woman before. I hope you can forgive me, but I have no choice. I got a message from his mom yesterday stating that she doesn't want In-So anymore so she's leaving the child to the orphanage. I objected and said that if she doesn't want the child, I'll take care of him. So I fetched him and brought him to our house. I have no time to tell you right away" During that time, what filled my heart is the love for my younger brother. I just hugged him and said "Hello there buddy. Sorry, I wasn't able to recognize you right away. Maybe I slept too much or it's a sign of ageing." That time, I was just controlling my emotions but I really wanted to cry.
I was able to accept the fact that I have a very adorable and loving younger brother. What I cannot accept is the fact that my dad actually cheated. I got so depressed that I questioned people around me, if they really are my true friends, my parent's love for me and my newly found brother and even God's concern for what's happening to me. I was so confused and attempted suicide months after. I wasn't successful obviously. Who saved me? Would you believe that it's actually my younger brother? That time, it was he who applied gauze and pressure on the cut I made on my wrist- eventually, I learned that he's observing me memorizing and doing practice first aid for a subject I took for my BS Nursing course, to stop the bleeding while my mom calls for help. My mom told me that, after almost 3 days of being unconscious in the hospital. That was the incident that made my mom and In-So closer. Actually, my mom used to hate him. But because of that, they become close. When I saw that, as well as the fact that a lot of people are showing concern, I realized the kind of fool I am for doing such thing. And yes, I realized something more than that; that God has given me the greatest gift anyone could ever have: my friends and my family. It's just that I failed to see that gift and turn away from the Cross that I am supposed to carry. I used to think that I know my faith very well, but it seems that it still needs to grow within me.
That's it my friend. Now that you know me, perhaps I could know something about you also. I'd be willing to listen.
-----------
To be continued
Chapter I: Who am I?
Annyeong Hasaeyo! Cheonun Lee Baek Jo Imnida (Hello! I am Lee Baek Jo). How do you do, my dear reader? First of all, I would like to thank you for reading my humble work. This is the first book that I've written ever. I hope that you would enjoy reading this. Writing a book is one of the toughest, but is also the most rewarding task that I've done so far. Upon seeing this book on one of the shelves found in the book store where you bought this and perhaps browsing through some of its pages, I know that one of questions you are probably thinking of right now is this: Who exactly is Lee Baek Jo? Why did he write this book? What's this book for? Well, maybe you're not really thinking of those things alright, but I want to be closer to you my dear. I want you to be my friend. Take it this way: I am a person who's just new in your neighborhood. I don't know anyone in the neighborhood yet, but then you smiled at me. So as a response, I smiled back and greeted you. Few days later, you've gained my trust and at the same time I've gained your trust also. That made me think; perhaps we'll be good friends. Since I want to be friends with you, I think it's good for us to know each other. I'll start by saying some things about myself.
Getting to know each other
I am Lee Baek Jo. Sounds Korean? Well, that's correct. I am half South Korean and half Filipino. By the way, you can also call me by my nickname BJ or by my English name, Lawrence. I've been living here in the Philippines since I was young. In fact, I am more fluent in Filipino language than Hangeul. I know more than "Kamusta ka?" (How are you?) "Maganda ka." (You're pretty) and "Mahal kita" (I love you). That is why sometimes, those who met me for the first time are quite amazed and say "Aba, ang galing naman ng Koreanong ito magtagalog." (Wow, this Korean guy is good in speaking Filipino). That's what made me easily mingle with the Filipino locals, as well as my relatives on my mother's side who is a Filipina and our Korean relatives on my father's side. I know both sides of these two cultures.
I was raised in a Catholic family born November 19, 1992, the eldest son of Lee Baek Ho and his wife, Mary. Yes, I am a Catholic, but I am not exactly the type whom you should look at if you are looking for someone that you could "idolize" in terms of faith. I've been through different ups and downs in spite of my youth. In fact, there's a time in my life where in I actually felt like nobody cares for me. Even the God that I believe in. Pressure from studies, demands from my parents and family problems all combined and made me depressed. You know what? I feel so down that time that I attempted suicide.
Oh Lord, God of my life… Do not forsake me
As I said, there was a time- just last year actually, when I felt that the world is on my shoulders and that no one truly cares for me. That was the time when I discovered that my dad cheated on my mom, and that affair actually has a fruit, my half brother. I met him in a quite dramatic way. Let me share with it you.
It was September 22, 2012, just an ordinary day. I just arrived from the university. I was dead tired of doing school works and preparing for activities of Red Cross Youth Council- since I am the president of that organization on our university. I immediately entered my room, locked the door and fell asleep. After quite some time, I was awakened by the noise outside my room. "Mom, dad, what are you doing in there? I want to sleep." No one's answering and the noise still continues. So I decided to check it out, only to find out that it is caused by a six year old, playing my toys when I was a kid. "Hey there cutie." I said. "It's the first time I saw you. Are you a cousin or a nephew of mine?" The boy didn't respond and hugged me. He said: "You are from that room where my dad said hyung-ah (brother) is sleeping. You are my older brother, right?" Upon hearing that, I didn't know what to say. I just stood up there in front of him while he's hugging me so tightly. Then, I removed his arms off me and said "Cutie, I appreciate the fact that you are thinking that I am your older brother. But I am not him. In fact, I don't have any siblings." and smiled at him. The boy then cried badly. My dad who is on the second floor of our house that time, immediately hurried down and attended to the child to calm him down. Then after that, he pulled me on a corner and told me " Baek Jo, I know that you don't know about this and that it will not be that easy for you to accept, but that kid you just met….. is your half brother. He is In-So, the result of my affair to another woman before. I hope you can forgive me, but I have no choice. I got a message from his mom yesterday stating that she doesn't want In-So anymore so she's leaving the child to the orphanage. I objected and said that if she doesn't want the child, I'll take care of him. So I fetched him and brought him to our house. I have no time to tell you right away" During that time, what filled my heart is the love for my younger brother. I just hugged him and said "Hello there buddy. Sorry, I wasn't able to recognize you right away. Maybe I slept too much or it's a sign of ageing." That time, I was just controlling my emotions but I really wanted to cry.
I was able to accept the fact that I have a very adorable and loving younger brother. What I cannot accept is the fact that my dad actually cheated. I got so depressed that I questioned people around me, if they really are my true friends, my parent's love for me and my newly found brother and even God's concern for what's happening to me. I was so confused and attempted suicide months after. I wasn't successful obviously. Who saved me? Would you believe that it's actually my younger brother? That time, it was he who applied gauze and pressure on the cut I made on my wrist- eventually, I learned that he's observing me memorizing and doing practice first aid for a subject I took for my BS Nursing course, to stop the bleeding while my mom calls for help. My mom told me that, after almost 3 days of being unconscious in the hospital. That was the incident that made my mom and In-So closer. Actually, my mom used to hate him. But because of that, they become close. When I saw that, as well as the fact that a lot of people are showing concern, I realized the kind of fool I am for doing such thing. And yes, I realized something more than that; that God has given me the greatest gift anyone could ever have: my friends and my family. It's just that I failed to see that gift and turn away from the Cross that I am supposed to carry. I used to think that I know my faith very well, but it seems that it still needs to grow within me.
That's it my friend. Now that you know me, perhaps I could know something about you also. I'd be willing to listen.
-----------
To be continued
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