The Road to Happiness

— The Joy of Sharing

When I was in high school, I used to visit a Holt child welfare center whenever I had some free time. I never really thought of it as volunteering. I just loved spending time with the children, and I’d often spend the whole day playing with them.

Back then, I dreamed of studying special education in college.

During my college admissions interview, a professor asked me a question.

“Could you really devote your entire life to making sacrifices for children with disabilities?”

For some reason, that question made me angry.

“I’ve never thought of it as a sacrifice. If anything, I get so much more from those children than I give them. Why would you call that a sacrifice?”

Looking back, I was quite a bold teenager. ^^

But I still feel the same way today.

Sacrifice is certainly a noble thing. But whenever I hear the word, I can’t help thinking of suffering. That’s why I’ve never wanted to describe sharing what I have with others as a sacrifice.

Some days, life suddenly feels empty for no particular reason. There are times when I find myself questioning the meaning of it all, feeling as though I’ve hit rock bottom.

On days like those, wouldn’t it be wonderful to find something that makes me smile?

The truth is, when I take a good look around, there are so many little things that remind me life is worth living.

Nothing grand or extraordinary.

Maybe I’ve made something delicious and decide to share it with a neighbor. Maybe I send a quick message to a friend I haven’t talked to in ages. Or maybe I spend hours laughing with someone as we talk about our dreams, completely losing track of time.

Such small, ordinary moments of sharing.

And yet, somewhere along the way, I find myself feeling a little warmer inside.

There’s something different about the happiness we experience alone and the happiness we share with others.

A grandmother tucking a flower into a little child’s hair as they smile at each other.

The joy on my parents’ faces when I visit them after being away for a long time.

The quiet comfort of someone simply sitting beside me on a difficult day.

These are moments of happiness I could never experience alone.

Sometimes I’m the one who stays beside someone who’s going through a hard time. Other times, when I’m tired or struggling, someone else reaches out and holds my hand.

It’s not always about giving, and it’s not always about receiving.

Sometimes I think I’ve given something, only to find that I’ve received several times more in return.

Maybe that’s what sharing is really about. We lean on each other, share what we have, and somehow both end up a little happier.

At Dodam, there’s a volunteer team called the “Do-vengers.”

They sort and pack countless donated items to send to single-parent families across Korea.

One of the team’s most important members uses a wheelchair.

They can’t move around as freely as the others or take part in all the packing activities. But they’re there every time, always looking for ways to contribute.

The team simply wouldn’t be the same without them.

I’m too old.

I’m not capable enough.

I have physical limitations…

If we start looking for reasons we can’t share, the list could go on forever.

But if we genuinely want to share something, there are probably more ways to do it than we realize.

As we get older, I suppose it’s natural to want to slow down, take a break, and perhaps have someone look after us for a change.

After working hard all our lives, who could blame us?

But even as I grow older, I hope I’ll still be someone who laughs with others, shares what I have, and is there when someone needs me.

I imagine life would feel a little less lonely that way. And maybe a little happier, too.

Come to think of it, that’s probably why I write essays, create songs, and make videos in the first place.

They may seem like small things, but if something I create brings someone a little comfort, or gives us a chance to smile and connect, wouldn’t that be enough?

Sometimes, when people see how hard the volunteers work, they ask,

“Why do they put so much effort into something that’s exhausting and doesn’t even pay?”

But when you ask the volunteers themselves, their answers are almost always the same.

Their bodies may be tired, but somehow, their hearts are full of happiness.

There are so many different paths to happiness.

And of all those paths, the one I want to walk today is the path of sharing happiness with others.

Not because it’s some noble act of sacrifice.

But simply because it makes me happier.

Because I want to keep walking this path.

Because I want to be happier still.

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The Story Behind the Song

The Road to Happiness

Inspired by the warmth of the Dodam volunteer community, The Path to Happiness is an original Korean song about the happiness we find in sharing life with others.

The accompanying video captures everyday moments of kindness and connection: someone waking up and getting ready to volunteer, a neighbor sharing homemade food, someone fixing an elderly woman’s worn-out chair, an older man offering water to someone who’s tired, a grandmother tucking a flower into a child’s hair, family members greeting each other with joy, and friends laughing and sharing stories.

Each of these moments is brought to life through warm, oil-painting-style imagery.

Sometimes we’re the ones reaching out to others. Other times, we’re the ones receiving that same kindness.

It’s a kind of happiness we can only experience together, and those simple moments are what I wanted to capture in the music and paintings.

Even if it’s only for a little while, being able to share this path to happiness with you makes today a happy day for me, too.

Work Information

Song Title: The Road to Happiness (행복으로 가는 길)

Essay Title: The Road to Happiness

Artist: Find Happy Way Music

Created by: Glory Kim

Work Type: Korean Original Song

Find Happy Way — A place to share the little joys of everyday life.

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