"Volunteers! Who wants to join the Leadership Education Program? Come on. Raise your hands."
        In the face of the unfamiliar program we, high school freshmen, looked around at one another. Though my teacher's crying kept going on, we knew very well that the program did not give any additional points to students, unlike service activities which were helpful to go to college or university. For example, if I cleaned a public office building, I could get additional points on my student record which would be very important when I went to college. Nobody raised her hand, but I felt an interest. "I will!" Hearing banter and teasing sounds, I raised my hand. At first I just worried about missing a few classes during the period, but I found out later it was the greatest choice I ever made.
        The first day I was a little nervous because there were many people whom I met for the first time. The participants consisted of students from three girls' high schools, and the entries from any one school were limited to forty or fifty. I was the only volunteer from my class. That was not good, but not bad either. If there were many people I was acquainted with, it would have been boring.
        Everyone arrived at Palgong Mountain. Seeing the buildings on the side of the mountain, someone joked, "We can't break out of this jail without a car. The road is too far from here."
        Everybody laughed, and then a person concerned with the leadership program began to explain the program. "This is a special program made by the Daegu self-government board of education. Only a few people know about this program. You are lucky. I'll tell each of you your group." After several names were called, I was called to be in the twentieth group.
        During the entrance ceremony I looked at the teachers. They all looked like they were in their early fifties. According to their introductions, I found my group teacher. From some distance I thought he had some white hair and some black hair, but up close his hair was all marvelously gray. It's color appealed to me very much, and I wondered why.
        After dinner I talked with my group members, five people. The same as me, they had come there in order not to go to school. Actually it was a small escape for me from daily life. After entering high school, contrary to my expectation, I had been disappointed with my school life and frustrated with the science high school I attended. I was deeply depressed in spirit.
        Then, our teacher came in. He already knew our names and tried to match the names and faces. He told us his first impression of each of us. When he came to me, he said, "Juyoun, you look very calm. Try to enjoy the program."
        I told him about my frustration and disappointment frankly. I was surprised to find out he had been a teacher of the Deagu Science High School before. He heard my story and nodded as if he understood me and my case. Kindly he made a consoling joke for me, "Do you know the words science high school students dislike the most? Well, it is that they are weak-headed. They're also common students like you. Look, a common school's life is as interesting as a science school's." I smiled and began to think about my school life seriously.
        "Every morning we will have a short speech time in front of all students. It's only one minute, and you can do it freely. You can talk about your experiences, feelings and thoughts. This is the Leadership Education Program. I hope our group will do it positively. If you do it, I'm sure you can get more confidence about yourself." But the next morning I had nothing to say, so I just listened to the others speaking. I repented later about that.
        The last morning some students said we would go to a mountain. I took a lunch and a canteen. It was a long way to the top of the mountain. I was thirsty, but I didn't want to drink the water from my canteen. Among the other groups there were one or two failures. When all of the students took a rest, the teacher said to us, "I know you are exhausted, so I won't force you to reach the top. You can go down if you want to. The car's always ready. This is not school. We won't even grade you. This is your life. I want this to be a chance for you think about your life." The old teacher's words touched my soul.
        On the top of the mountain I asked my teacher carefully, "Do you mind if I ask about your hair?"
        He didn't answer my question and asked me instead, "What's the most important thing in your life?"
        I said the most important thing was myself. He agreed with me and began to answer. "Right. I almost died a few years ago. One day the doctor said I had stomach cancer. So I quit my job at my school at that time. When I saw my bald head caused by the medication, I began to prepare for my death."
        I could feel his sadness, pain and fear. "But I was lucky," he continued. "I think it was thanks to my wife. When I stoped chemotherapy, my hair grew again, and whenever I see my changed hair, I realize again and again health is most important to me. I feel like I was born twice." He said he always thanked his wife for her devoted care.
        I examined myself, and I found out how often I didn't do my best.  I was ashamed of my indolence. I thanked my parents for my health and happiness. I decided to make a short speech the next morning about the importance of realizing happiness in our life. I had a delicate feeling about my change in attitude toward my life, and I was surprised that I already looked forward to returning to school.