Ae-Cha

Today is a day to celebrate. Many years ago, Dangun was born and founded this place. When the bear and the tiger were allowed to become human, only the bear was strong enough to stay and she became the woman who would bore our founder. And today we celebrate him!

A new family has moved near us and they have a son who I think is about my age. I haven’t caught his name but I hope to meet him at the celebration. He smiled at me yesterday and I’ve been looking for him all day but haven’t caught a glimpse.

My best friend was already married last year and I heard my parents talking about me needing a husband. I don’t want to marry the boys I know here. They are so boring. Perhaps I’m getting my hopes up in thinking that this new boy won’t be and he will be the one for me. I just can’t shake the feeling I got when looking at him. There was something between us that I never felt with the boys from here.

But I don’t have time to think about that now. I can hear my parents and it must be time to go. I’m wearing a special outfit for the day. This is a yearly event, but I always look forward to it. I love celebrating history. It makes everything feel so timeless, so forever.

I would love it if some part of me lasted forever. I know that sounds silly. I’m so unimportant. But what if I could? Maybe not like I am now, but something about me? A thousand years from now I could look back and say, ‘I existed there and I still exist.’ That would really be something!