Feel the love

Life can be quite mystical when you think about it. We say things like "good luck" all the time - never knowing whether the luck actually increases by doing so. 

Encouragement

Yeseo never asked for words of encouragement herself. She is a Korean hero for a reason: she perseveres in her swimming goals even when life with Luscan-Lumish syndrome isn't easy. Not for her; not for her family. Her mother, Sunim, takes her everywhere she needs to go: from location to location. School, therapy, doctor's appointments, piano lessons,  swimming pools, gyms, and - yes - competitions.

Yeseo even wanted to go to English Academy now school is on Summer break. 

She's only 9 years old.

"What did I do when I was her age?"

Ever since I learned about her life and what Yeseo has to do on a weekly basis to stay healthy, I compared it to my own upbringing. 

I grew up in the 1970s, so I guess the 9-year-old me was either at school, at home, spending time with my friend, my family, or wherever my parents would take me. And oh, on Saturdays I attended Italian School (because of my multicultured roots).

Community

In theory, every child will have to go through both fun and loving times and hardships while growing up - we all know that. Yet, I struggle to understand why any child would have to deal with a disease or syndrome that asks so much of their resilience and health.

I try but I can't wrap my head around any life that starts out this hard. 

And so I took it upon myself to do something for Yeseo. Just to show her that we are all connected, one way or the other. 

I posted on the socials how I would love to get some words of encouragement for her now she was on the brink of entering two competitions:

1. the Korean Disabled President Bae Swimming Competition in Jeonju City on the 28th of July; and 
2. the Social Olympics Summer Games at Incheon City on 17 and 18 August.

 

LinkedIn didn't supply any words of encouragement but the post analytics did show the amount of impressions. Which is, as Octopus put it:

"...like the footprints your content leaves as it walks across the screens of your audience."

Well, there were over a hundred footprints!

My friends on Instagram did give her the encouragement I was looking for.

They were so sweet and supportive - the words even made me feel good. Let alone what it would do for Yeseo!

WIN!

Because I don't live in Korea, I depend on Yeseo's mother for information. I couldn't believe what I read:

She won first place in both Freestyle and Backstroke swimming competitions at the Korean Disabled President Bae Swimming Competition!

Feel the love

One can't weigh or calculate whether thoughts, reads, likes, or messages can have a direct impact on an outcome. How would you measure such a thing? 

But we know how we feel when we receive well-wishes, don't we?

That was my exact thought before I set out on my quest to collect some words of encouragement. I wanted Yeseo to feel good vibes. So she knows she is not alone.

No, kindness can't be measured. Love can't be measured.

As psychiatrist and writer Carl Gustav Jung said:

“Know all the theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch a human soul be just another human soul.”

💬 A special thank-you goes out to my friends from the Jung Haein community who took the time to write to Yeseo.

✐ Written by: Sandra Muresu