This summer was unusually hot, but the entrance to early autumn, my birthday (September 2), was a truly proud and meaningful day. Both sons, their spouses, and four grandchildren, along with ten family members in total, embarked on a journey to our hometown (Miryang) via the KTX train. We had a special event of visiting the ancestral graves together to pay respects to our parents and perform a ritual. As my birthday is a Saturday in this year, my wife suggested, "How about going to Miryang, performing ancestral rites with our grandchildren, and exploring the surrounding attractions?" I responded with a "Good idea," and that's how it all began. We first sought the opinions of our two sons, received their agreement, and then proceeded to make reservations for accommodations, book KTX train tickets, and secure a rental car to plan a 1-night, 2-day trip to Miryang.

 Due to the impact of COVID-19, we had not been able to perform ancestral rites for several years, and this occasion served as a cleansing of any lingering feelings of filial neglect. Imagining the four grandchildren climbing the mountain to the ancestral graves, accompanied by both daughters-in-law and wearing unfamiliar but intriguing __expression__s, I found myself occasionally losing sleep. I could envision my reliable sons being warmly welcomed by my parents, who had always favored them, recognizing the three adorable grandsons and one granddaughter from their graves and rising to greet them with joy. I even entertained the thought that my parents, who had ten sons and daughters, might scold me for having only four grandchildren.

 The second son's family boarded the train together at Seoul Station, while the eldest son's family, residing in Daejeon, joined an hour later. The grandchildren, experiencing their first train ride, were delighted, making it a joyful 'First train trip' for them. They marveled at the scenery outside the high-speed train, asking various questions and expressing curiosity about how they would feel about the rural hometown of their grandparents and understanding ancestral graves even when they knew nothing about human corpse. My wife, too, displayed a happy __expression__, expressing her desire for a family trip that we could take together at least once a year, including overseas travel to Japan.

 After getting off at Miryang Station, we picked up the rental car we had reserved in advance and had lunch at a famous pork soup restaurant in Miryang. We then visited the paternal and maternal ancestral graves one after another. Although the saying 'A tree without roots, descendants without ancestor' s true, looking at the graves of great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers, whom I had never met, made me wonder what the grandchildren were thinking. As we offered small bouquets and a glass of liquor while bowing deeply, I explained the family tree written on the tombstone, but I wondered how much they really understood. Watching the grandchildren, engrossed in catching insects such as grasshopper and frog in the grass around the graves, I could easily imagine my father and mother coming out of their graves, joining them, and interacting with their grandchildren.

 After celebrating my birthday dinner with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and relatives, we took a stroll down the alley. When I explained that this alley was where I used to play when I was young, the grandchildren wore puzzled __expression__s. The next day, we climbed up to 'Yeongnamnu Pavilion' took commemorative photos, shared stories about the bamboo forest where we used to have sword fights in our youth, and told the tale of 'A-rang'. Deciding that something dynamic would be enjoyable for the grandchildren, we opted for a tour of the 'Ice Valley Cable Car' and drove there in a sedan. As we ascended in the 50-passenger large cable car, the grandchildren couldn't help but shout in excitement at the fascinating view below. After disembarking at the station, we walked the 250m 'Heavenly Love Path', reaching the observatory called 'Noksandae' While enjoying the panoramic view of the Yeongnam Alps, including Gajisan and Sinbulsan, and the Ice Valley gorge towards the Miryang city center, memories of youthful hiking adventures on Cheonhwangsan and Jaeyaksan, as well as of mountains like Cheonhwangsan and Jaeyaksan, came flooding back.

 The U.S. opinion research institution, the 'Pew Research Center', conducted a survey among 17 advanced countries, seeking opinions through a questionnaire on the question, "What makes your life meaningful?" Unfortunately, South Korea was the only country among the 17 to rank 'material prosperity' as the top response. In contrast, other nations listed 'family' as their primary focus, followed by health, occupation, and friendships. Our response, emphasizing material wealth and economic conditions as the most crucial factors, might seem peculiar from the perspective of citizens of other countries. However, their prioritization of 'small, meaningful happiness' or 'simple pleasures' such as finding peace in the family and enjoying activities like reading with children, assisting spouses, making regular calls to parents, and engaging in family exercise and hobbies, reflects their precious view of happiness. In other words, happiness and a 'Good Life' are found in the peace of the home, the small meaningful joys, and the "sohwakhaeng" derived from reading and playing with children, helping spouses, making calls to parents, and engaging in family exercise and hobbies together.

Therefore, traveling with our son's families and grandchildren, exploring our roots, and performing ancestral rites bring a sense of pride and happiness that cannot be surpassed. I believe that traveling with sons and grandchildren will help maintain the 'brotherhood' that may drift apart after marriage and allow the grandchildren to build 'cousin bonds' through frequent interactions.

CEO BAIK, SUNGCHUN