Forty: A Time to Restore Purity and Common Sense
Reflecting on my life through Aesop's fables

Based on the short fables of Aesop, the gifted storyteller of ancient Greece, this book shares ways to restore innocence and common sense, and thereby regain balance in life.
This book is recommended to us who live an absurd life by turning away from values ​​such as justice, consideration, sacrifice, and hope that we took for granted in childhood with our superficial knowledge and skills.
You, who are 'skilled but not wise' at forty, think again, understand the ways of the world again, and live properly.

In your forties, you sometimes feel uneasy about where you sit.
So, as I look around other workplaces, my eyes are drawn to roads I haven't been on.
But now I know.
The point is that such illusions arise from all the grievances that one has attached to oneself.
Now, instead of yearning for a new workplace, I think back to my first day at work and resolve to do my best in my current position.
Then, the complaints that could be found as easily as breathing gradually disappear.
Instead, from your current position, you begin to see things you haven't done, paths you haven't taken.
I'm looking for a road I haven't been on before, not from a place that's that far away.

--- p.48~49

You have to look into a person's past to know if they are trustworthy.
However, I realize that the past that serves as the basis for judgment must be something I have personally seen, heard, and felt.
You shouldn't believe something you see once or twice from a distance.
The one you should doubt at that moment is yourself.
In this way, you build relationships by 'looking closely' into the other person's past.

--- p.82

In my forties, I live with a 'strong, weak, weak' attitude.
I don't try to fight against the strong with my strength.
Because we know the true power of flexibility.

On the other hand, when dealing with the weak, I keep a humble attitude and often remind myself of my gratitude to them.
Living life like water with such a good person by my side.

--- p.120~121

Sometimes in your forties you live hoping for some luck to come your way.
But the wind grows stronger and you end up overdoing it without even realizing it.
With the hope that if you put in even a little effort, you can turn that luck into good fortune.
But if you've worked hard enough, you should know how to take a break.
Because the 'luck' guy who is looking for a comfortable place to settle down might run away when he sees you moving around busily.
Now I've decided to get some rest.
The rest that is in your body and mind will turn the unexpected luck that comes your way into a blessing that you can bring to yourself.

--- p.153

The moment you need to dig a well is not when you are thirsty.
Now is the time to dig a well, when water is readily available.
If you start digging after feeling thirsty, it is too late.
As your breathing becomes rougher, your mouth will become drier and drier, and you will eventually collapse from exhaustion before you can even get a glass of water.
Preparation is like grinding your teeth against a wooden pole on a quiet day.
Even if there is no threat, even if it never happens in your lifetime, you must prepare.
If I could bare my sharp fangs just once in my life, that would be enough.
Yes, that's right.
Preparation is a prayer that contains the hope that the crisis will not become a reality.

--- p.211~212

Learning from past mistakes requires a bit of focus and a bit of tension.
It is not enough to simply recognize the mistake itself.
It takes careful effort to learn the locations of buildings and memorize prominent signs to find the right way.
So, I live with the mindset of learning from the past and finding new paths.

--- p.238