Taking the Bait

 

Taking the Bait

At the end of January, I received a gift from Ji-young (Stella).

It was a new pair of running shoes.

These were special shoes designed for running—so light that they felt almost weightless, like feathers, yet with thick, springy soles.

When I ran in them, I could feel the exhilarating bounce, as if my feet were springing off the ground with every step.

Of course, after running for a while, that lightness would gradually fade away.

Even though I already had three perfectly fine pairs of running shoes,
I couldn’t immediately assume that Ji-young had an ulterior motive for giving me new ones.

When I asked her why she had bought them,
she said, "They were on sale, and I just couldn’t turn away."

Of course, that was her way of being considerate—trying to ease her dad’s mind.

But then, sometime last week, Ji-young reached out to me.

She told me that for her birthday this year, she was planning to run 40 kilometers.

She could have just quietly run on her own,
but instead, she made sure to let her mom and dad know.

I couldn’t quite figure out what her intention was.

This year, Ji-young is turning forty.

So, as a way to mark her birthday, she decided to run 40 kilometers.

My wife immediately promised to run the last 10 kilometers with her.

Then she turned to me and asked, "How much will you run with her?"

The die was already cast.

I committed to running half of the 40 kilometers with Ji-young.

I had run a half marathon once or twice a year,
but the last time I did was in March of last year.
Since then, I hadn’t run that distance again.

It was just too exhausting.

I had decided to stick to 10 kilometers and no more—
why push myself further at this age?

It’s not like I had anything to prove.
No one was forcing me to take on such a tough challenge.

But then again, at my age, when it’s so easy to settle into comfort and stagnation,
perhaps taking on a new challenge isn’t such a bad idea.

And if running alongside my daughter—who is running through life’s hardships—
could bring her even a little comfort and support, wouldn’t that be worth it?

The English word “present” means a gift,
but it also means the present moment and being there.

Perhaps the greatest gift I can give my daughter on her 40th birthday
is simply my presence—just being there for her.

So, to give my daughter the most precious gift,
I put on the running shoes she gave me
and ran along the Boardwalk, even though the cold had yet to fade.

I don’t know if those shoes were meant as bait to get me running,
but if they were, I’d say any father would gladly take that bait.

The biting spring wind struck my face, trying to hold me back,
but my legs, running along the seaside Boardwalk,
felt light and clear—perhaps thanks to the new shoes.

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