This is an adventurous story of a Korean-American journalism professor, whose destiny came under the native natal sign of the "running horse". This book is to examine the destiny and looks back at what he has done to accomplish his goals along the way.

Prologue

     I was told by my grandfather that my life's destiny came under the sign of the “running horse,” which would one day carry me around the world. The source of this Confucian prophecy, The Book of Changes, considered the length of one life span to be sixty years. I’ve now surpassed that span by more than a decade, but my destiny continues to keep me running. This book is an examination of that destiny and looks back at what I’ve done to accomplish my goals along the way.

     My first goal was to achieve the highest level of education. I began that journey in provincial high school in Korea, eventually making my way to Seoul to go to college. After eight years, I made my way to Eugene, Oregon, to gain another bachelor’s degree, this time in journalism. Then I went to Los Angeles for my master’s degree, and finally to Iowa City for my ultimate goal, a doctorate degree. It took thirty-five years of hard work to achieve that goal.

     My second goal was to have a successful career and a loving family. My career was centered on the teaching of journalism at the University of Missouri. I was honored to be awarded the O.O. McIntire Distinguished Chair Professorship and worked as a department chair, director of the Stephenson Research Center, and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. I supervised thirty-three doctoral dissertations, wrote sixteen books, spearheaded the use of word processing in printing newspapers, helped establish and modernize newspapers in Asia, and motivated young journalists all over the world.

     As for my family, my wife, Young, and I have been blessed with three children who are well-educated, happily married, and successful in their careers: Susan and her husband, David, have an architectural firm in North Vancouver, Canada, with their sons Ben and Eric; Anthony, a senior counsel for Philip Morris International, lives with his wife, Damee, in Hong Kong with their children, Alex and Chloe; and Eugene and his wife, Tessa are both professors of literature in the Boston area.

     Now, as a retiree, I’ve settled in a retirement community, Laguna Woods Village, in California. My destiny, however, is keeping me running. I travel the world and search for renewed meaning to my life in retirement.

     I found a number of important components of my retirement: I’m determined to work for my family and friends after realizing that I didn’t do as much as I should have while I was devoting my efforts to achieving my destiny.

     I’ve also been searching for wisdom by reading many books, both fiction and non-fiction, which I couldn’t do when I was immersed in my own academic research and teaching. I’m enjoying the natural wonders of the mountains and beaches and practicing my favorite sports, golf and fishing.

     What meaning does my life hold for me now? I invite you to join me as I run to explore that question in the pages that follow.
 

Epilogue

     A form of aphasia may be showing in me. I am not so sure my English is good enough to write my memoirs as I have tried for this book. I had written a few books in Korean, but none of these reached a mass audience. Where do I belong?

     Dr. Syngman Rhee, the founding President of the Republic of Korea, was tormented by aphasiac symptoms during his final years in Hawaii. Dr. Rhee was educated in Korea before he went to the States at the age of 29 and returned back to his homeland and was elected as the first President when he was 72. After his stay in America for 43 years, we wondered how he had kept up his Korean language, when he spoke publicly in his Korean that sounded like western missionary sermons.

     However, Francesca, his Austrian wife, was terrified that Dr. Rhee used only Korean and lost his English during final years of his life. A similar story of Rev Kyongjik Han was told by his followers. Dr. Han, one of the pioneering Christian leaders in Korean history was educated and lived the most of his life in the United States. When he was taken to an American hospital, he needed a translator.

     This book project was initiated by my desire to pass along my Korean background, history, tradition and heritage to our younger generations living outside our homeland. I have written a series of monthly newsletters and plan to continue my writing in the hope that the form of aphasia or Alzheimer may not come to me.

     However, the biggest realization of my retirement life while I was working on this project was to find two important facets of my life. The most simple and important fact of my life is that my own existence was a tiny particle of our universe and that the real value lay with my wife, family and friends, who had been devoted for me to reach where I am now, is far greater than anything I own. I have a strong urge and determination to work for them.

     I also found that I needed to take care of my physical strength as well as a healthy mental condition to maintain my retirement agenda. My belated realization provides me the answer to the question, what meaning does my life hold for me now?