Hector and the Search for Happiness, written by the French psychiatrist, Francois Lelord, portrays the journey of Hector in his search for happiness. However, Hector did not find happiness; instead, he eventually becomes aware of and realizes the existence of happiness, which was always with him. Ironically, in addition to belonging to the most affluent society, the society in which Hector lives also has the largest number of psychiatrists. Throughout his travel, he found some keys to become happy. Each key to happiness Hector recognizes is impressive, but there are two that are particularly remarkable and evoke sympathy: ‘Being happy is to feel am I alive,’ and ‘Doing what you love makes you happy.’
Throughout my sojourn at SMT, like Hector, I felt alive doing what I enjoy. As an introverted person, I still sense the pressure a big audience places upon me when it looks at me. Moreover, I was overwhelmed with the worry that I needed to show my presence in a society that places a much higher value on extroverted persons. At SMT, I was able to naturally express myself without fear due in part to the busy annual publication schedule, but more from the creation of new personal values, which made me feel alive. I wrote about the lives of others and focused on both unnoticed and clear issues almost without limitation. Perhaps the reason I first knocked on the door of SMT was my passion to write. However, I soon learnt that SMT was about much more than just writing. SMT is a mixture of a spoonful of English proficiency, a spoonful of journalism, and a spoonful of passion. Constantly challenging myself, I changed myself.
Steve Jobs, one of the world’s most successful people was also an introvert who figuratively explained life with dots and lines: the dots are choices one makes, and the lines represent life, which connects the dots. I was not an aspiring journalist, nor did I have great interest in media or the flow of our society. I just wanted to draw a clear line between the vivid dots created from my university life with SMT. I faced tremendous difficulties forming a single dot; however, each moment permitted me to feel alive doing the work I love. By doing what I love, I was happy. Now, it is time for me to end my journey at SMT and take another step in my life by forming another dot. Instead of giving a final farewell upon my departure, I step down from my position as editor-in-chief with phrases from Hector and the Search for Happiness for all to consider: Êtes vous heureux? Si non, pourquoi? (Are you happy? Why not?)
Koo Kim Gyohyun / Editor-in-Chief
