The Importance of Being Industrious

By Seo Mi Ra

<seo-mi-ra@hanmail.net>


        My parents are important in my life. My father has an affection for me because my personality is like my father's personality. So I think that my father loves me more than my sisters.  My father is short and fat, so I worry about his health. Although he plays golf and goes to the mountains on weekends,  I still wish that my father could take off some weight and abstain from liquor.  He is charitable and humorous, and sometimes he is stern, but I love him.
        My father helped me to be industrious and save money.  For example, I can't sleep late into the morning on Sundays or holidays because my father wakes me up.  He has a dislike of my sleeping with the exception of when I am tried.  So I have gotten used to a diligent life.
        I have often driven my father's car instead of him after I got my driver's license, so sometimes I drive when my father has been drinking.  When I drive the car, I talk with my father more than when I stay home.  At a time like this, I talk about my future and the way to keep on living in society.  One day, my father said to me that he was tired.  He said, ¡°I want you to be diligent always. Use your time sparingly and save money."
        I said, ¡°I don't get up late, but I'll try to save money." But I felt ashamed that I sometimes wasted money.
        Then he continued,¡°I was born poor so I had to make my own money.  So I delivered newspapers at dawn and sold ice cream after school."   I found out that my father was born poor and he had to make money for his family, because he had five brothers and three sisters. They had to make money for each other.  He said, ¡°Anyhow, try to be diligent and save money continually."  After I swore that I would do it, I felt thankful to my father again.
        My father is charitable and humorous, but sometimes he is stern when I come back home late.  I have two sisters, so my father worries about his three daughters.  We were scolded by our father when we were late in coming home.  Also, if we are not at home after 9 pm,  he can't go to bed, because he really worries about us.  Sometimes I got angry when he expected me to come back home too early, but I have never been opposed to my father because I think that he is right. On the contrary, I love him because he helps me to be industrious and to save money, and he has usually understood me.
        I will live a diligent life continually, and I will save money so that I can be a great help to the poor.  One day, my father came home and said, ¡°I met some children on the street, and they looked like they were starving, so I gave them some money.¡± I was surprised because he had given a lot of money to the children, but later I thought he was right. Like my father, I want to help the poor and serve the community, but it's easier said than done.  I wish to serve the community and save money to help the poor. Anyway, I will live a diligent life, and if I succeed in my life, I can be a great help to the poor certainly.


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