20260401 A Morning Run and an Old Cell Phone from the Past

I woke up around 5:45 and stayed in bed for a while, especially because yesterday’s rain meant I couldn’t go for a run. That had left me feeling a little down, since running in the early morning has become one of my greatest pleasures these days. But today, as soon as I got up, I went out to run. Along the way, I discovered a small path behind the main road—a “샛길” It felt a bit mysterious at first, but as I ran along it, I found it truly beautiful.

 

Yesterday, I rearranged my whole place. There were many old items—things that had turned into junk over time. I wanted to keep them, but at the same time, I knew some of them were just garbage that I had to throw away. Still, I couldn’t do it easily. I guess it’s because they hold warm memories for me.

 

While sorting through my storage, I came across my old cell phone from 23 years ago. Although I couldn’t remember the four-digit password, when I flipped it open, I was greeted by an old wallpaper—my husband and me, back when we were just university students, smiling with the carefree happiness of young love.

 

When I told my husband and son about the phone, my son eagerly asked to try unlocking it, confident he could figure it out. I told him I had already tried every combination I could think of. But then, he simply entered my husband’s old phone number—and just like that, it worked.

 

We all burst into laughter. Then my son looked at me proudly and said, “Mom, am I good? Please compliment me!” I smiled and replied, “I always praise you.” But he teased me, saying, “No, you don’t!” In that moment, I realized once again how much he longs for recognition and encouragement.