This book is an essay that shows that even the times we consider useless ultimately remain as the light that sustains life.
The author has captured his experiences as a teacher who has lived and written with children, as well as his personal memories, in the beautiful, colorful language of the Korean language.
Through the names of unique colors that are being forgotten, such as garimbit, mauve, and iridescent, we record emotions such as anxiety, sadness, waiting, and love, and reflect on the meaning of life.
Even in the midst of the collapse, there was a sparkle, and even the moments I thought were useless were ultimately the times that protected me.
This book is a warm, comforting record that allows us to see our busy daily lives in a new light and reminds us that every day we have lived has illuminated us with a different light.

There is no wasted time in life.
There was a time when I struggled to be a useful person, and felt infinitely small for not being able to do so.
There were times when I felt anxious about wasting time.
The world's standards, which only pursue utility, are harsh on those who fail to meet them.
It was okay though.
As you live, you realize that every moment is valuable.
Looking back, the hurtful relationships and countless frustrating times were not in vain.
It seeped into me with its own unique color and allowed me to walk deeper into life.

--- From the "Prologue"

I wonder if my child remembers the high school student he met when he was young.
I don't remember why I was shaken that day.
Only the dust flying in the sunlight of the empty playground and the clear laughter that filled the surroundings remain as a faint color.

The time I spent with the girl was a comfort to me as I lived with the sky, which I would look up at for a long time whenever my heart was sad.
In a time when there were no cell phones, we had to part ways after exchanging only our names. I wanted to never forget that child, so I wrote down that afternoon in a fairy tale.
"Sky Watching", written when I was twenty, imagining a girl's heart and family.
The short story that had been buried in a drawer for a long time finally saw the light of day and opened the way for its publication after the world changed twice.
Three years since then.
I owe a debt to the people who sleep in my drawer.

--- p.130

Am I taking the wrong and reckless path by starting over again, expecting and being disappointed?
Even if it's a vain hope, it's okay because it builds a stronger heart.
When the time comes that you want to stop walking, you will take another side trip.
Just as the side roads we encounter on our travels present us with breathtaking scenery, I believe that the side roads of life will embrace us beautifully.

--- p.207

As I lived, I didn't realize it, but living is like that.
Thanks to the useless time of anonymity, I gained the strength to move forward.
Even when you're lost, rather than struggling to find your way forward, the time you spend staying opens another door.
I may have been living in opposition to it even though I knew it.
I couldn't fully enjoy it.
I was so busy with my daily life that I didn't even realize I was sick, and on my days off, I ended up getting sick.
Even though I was struggling like that, I somehow managed to get through it when Monday came again.
I've always lived a life where I had to do something.

--- p.213