Want to show your gratitude to the people who celebrated with you on your 70th birthday? In this article, we’ve compiled a list of classy thank you greetings that you can use at your 70th birthday celebration. Make the moment even more special with these heartwarming messages!
70th birthday greeting thank you from the head of the family
It snowed lightly last night. It was like a long-awaited guest, and the sight of the snowy landscape made me feel excited. Perhaps it was in anticipation of this moment, gathered here today with my family, that I realized that even the coldest winter days can be so warm.
How many pairs of shoes does the average woman own? How many pairs do you think everyone has? I think the average person has seventeen pairs of shoes and only three pairs that they wear. I remember when I was younger, I used to be that way too, and I would try new things, but I would always find something familiar. It’s lovely to see that in my granddaughter’s shoe closet. It was like revisiting my younger self.
My mother always told me, “Don’t accumulate unnecessary things.” She pointed out that clutter makes it difficult to change and develop, let alone be happy. Whether it’s attachments to things, hearts, or people, letting go and emptying out is the only way to be free. At the time, it didn’t make a lot of sense to me, but after all these years, I think I know a little bit of what she meant.
After all these years, I still have a lot of things that I keep hoarding and regretting in the back of my mind. Maybe it’s because I’m not satisfied with what I have, and I’ve come to realize that my desire to impress and please others through my possessions only adds to my futility. At some point, I realized that it wasn’t just my stuff, but my past, my achievements, and my accomplishments that I was holding on to and unable to let go. It was the other face of my fear of change.
Holding on to past achievements is the beginning of a downward spiral, so I finally decided to let go of things like trophies and plaques, because holding on to them doesn’t make my life richer. Many of the things I’ve held on to and been proud of may have been illusory. I realize that it’s often only when I let go of my grasp that I see the things that are truly valuable.
Now you’re ready to start the next chapter of your life with a fresh mind, letting go of all the things you’ve been trying to hold on to, and refilling your space with the things that truly matter. I’m slowly realizing that it’s only by emptying out that I can fill in anew, and that it’s only by simplifying that I can discover what truly matters. Maybe it’s a wisdom that only comes with age.
It’s about starting over. I ask for your warm encouragement as you join me for another start in my life. I hope today will be a precious moment that will remain in my heart for a long time.
70th birthday greetings from my family
I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for taking the time to come here despite the cold winter weather. We are truly grateful that you took such a big step even when the world seemed to have frozen over. Your warm hearts make this place shine even brighter.
My retirement has given me more time and space to explore new things, not the least of which is a dream that has always been in the back of my mind: to visit my hometown once again. I’ve been dreaming of going back to my hometown for a long time because it brings back memories of my childhood and calms my mind and body. I wanted to go back to my hometown, see my old friends, reminisce about the good times, and get nostalgic.
So last month, I traveled to my hometown, where I had an unexpected meeting. I reconnected with an old acquaintance I never expected to see again after all these years. It was over 40 years ago, and I remembered vividly a young artist painting my wife and me. It was a very cold winter day, and I can clearly see him tapping the ink as it froze and thawed into ice. We would leave the place when the painting was finished, but he worked hard all day in the cold, facing the bitter wind. I was impressed by his craftsmanship and silence.
I think the happiness I felt while visiting my hometown this time came from such unexpected encounters and memories. The timelessness of the place, and the meaning of the connections that continue to be made there, became very precious to me. Of course, the painter didn’t remember my wife and me, but the way he stood there with his eyes closed was like a tree that has been bearing the weight of time.
And suddenly, I thought to myself, “What kind of person am I? What kind of resultant pattern am I? Just like the rings on a tree, each person has a different path that they have traveled throughout their life, and that leaves a unique pattern and mark. Just as the resulting pattern of a tree is a beautiful mark that proves the age of the tree, I must have lived my life with my own pattern. However, I wondered if I was still lacking in the quality of my work, and if I had put my whole heart into something like the painter.
I’m sure that each of you here today has walked a life with your own beautiful patterns, and just by being here today, you’re shining with your own determination. We honor each other’s paths and humbly look forward to a world that still has so much to learn.
I am truly blessed to be in the company of such an important group of people. Thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share with us, and may health and peace be with you in the years to come.
70th birthday greetings from the family
Music comes on when you’re in a good mood, but it seems that music can also make you feel good in reverse: when I’m feeling a little under the weather, I deliberately hum a tune and suddenly I’m in a better mood; I pick out a song that I like to listen to and play it loud on purpose, and it does the same for me. The power of music to make us happy is amazing, and it’s my husband who has taught me its precious value.
The time we’ve shared together over the years is a reflection of so many things we’ve been through. From the small moments of everyday life to the heavier ups and downs of life, my husband has always stood by my side through it all, and that’s why I’m standing where I am today. It’s been hard at first, but the path we’ve traveled together makes me appreciate this moment even more.
They say that the heart dictates the actions, but I was a person who was only pretending to be a servant at first, but after a decade, I feel like I’ve become a real servant. My actions changed, my heart changed, and I saw the world differently. At times, my physical illness worsened, but I forced myself to move to overcome my mental illness. At first, I moved my body reluctantly and forcedly, but the repeated movement of my body for the sake of others moved my heart from being selfish to being open to my neighbors.
When I look back on what made all of this possible, I think it was my spouse, who watched and supported me all the way. He was the one who convinced me the most, who encouraged me the most. At first, I was faking it, faking it, faking it, faking it to be healthy, and then it became real. My unhealthy body returned to normal, my smile brightened, and my facial expressions softened. If I was alone, I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today, and I’d like to thank my spouse for being by my side and giving me lots of support and affirmations. For someone like me, who is so lacking and weak, someone like you is a gift from heaven.
I realized that love is not just a feeling, but sometimes it is a choice and a product of will. My grandchildren would tell me out loud that they wanted to quit their job because they hated their boss at work. My granddaughter says she’s stressed out about her motivation to join the company and the subtle nervousness. We all have people in our families, friends, and coworkers that we hate, but when we mimic love and give ourselves a forced love command, it suddenly becomes genuine love and changes our minds. This experience has made me believe that it’s possible to be 100 percent loving, and I’m even more proud to say that I’ve experienced it, not just talked about it.
It’s common sense that happy people are healthier and live longer, and you don’t need to do any experiments or research to know that. Happy people are probably less stressed and have more happy chemicals in their brains, so it’s no wonder they live longer and healthier lives. And if you can laugh with your spouse no matter what challenges come your way, isn’t that the ultimate happiness?
To my spouse, who stood by my side through my ill health, I would like to say that when you get older, illness will come to you, and I will be there to protect you. I dedicate this honor to my spouse, who must have suffered so much by the side of this ugly man. I am deeply grateful to you for your love and devotion.
To my family, neighbors, and friends, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and share this joy with you, thank you, thank you.
70th Birthday Greetings From the Head of the Family
The weather has been nice lately, and the parks and playgrounds are getting more and more crowded. Morning joggers, people stretching, and children running and laughing on the playground, the air feels livelier than it has in a long time. I’ve been using the cold as an excuse to skip my workouts, and now it’s time to get outside and move in the warm sunshine.
However, my body is a little stiff these days, and I don’t feel like I can run around as much as I want to. Maybe it’s because I neglected to exercise during the winter, but the children running around make me feel more energetic. I want to be as energetic as they are, but it’s a shame that my body doesn’t follow suit.
I also have a new family member at home for the time being. When my son and his family moved to Seoul, the house was empty, but then we welcomed a new cat into the family, and thanks to him, the house feels full again. Nowadays, I enjoy spending time with my cat every day. It makes me realize how much of a presence a pet can have.
My spouse sometimes jokingly says she wants to be a cat next time she’s born. He says he’d like to be born a cat with shiny black tabby markings, prancing around and making graceful gestures like a big magpie. You know what he means by now, as we’ve been cat lovers since we were kids, we’ve always lived by the “go with the flow” mentality. Life has taken us around and around and around and here we are.
Whenever we stop by a restaurant, I always take my cat’s food with me. I carefully prepare it for him, topping the hot rice with bonito flakes for cats and adding a little soy sauce, hoping he’ll enjoy it, just like we do when we rub an egg in sesame oil. It warms my heart to think that he’s part of our family. I love how he follows me around and acts like a chewing gum, and then when my granddaughter comes to visit, he clings to her like he’s so excited.
Having a small pet really enriches your heart – it makes you feel less lonely, it brings a smile to your busy life, and you always have that loving presence that you can always think of. Now that my children are all grown and have their own families of their own, and I don’t see my friends as often, I feel like my little friend has taken away a lot of the loneliness.
In fact, when I was younger, I had promised my spouse that we would travel the world together, and I dreamed of holding hands and cruising the oceans when we retired, but life has a way of not working out that way, so now I live with my spouse, my cat, and a small hope that I will live a long and healthy life with the family I love. My spouse jokes that we should start a small zoo, and I hope to fulfill that dream someday.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my family for all the love and support they’ve given me over the years. I’m also deeply grateful to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to be here with us, and I hope you’ll keep an eye out for the little bundles of happiness we’ll be creating in the future.
70th Birthday Greetings Acknowledgements
There is a famous book that says, ‘Seeing is believing.’ This book has an interesting message that gives people a new perspective on our experiences and reality. It is still used as a textbook for journalism at major universities, so you can see how influential it has been. While most of us live our lives believing that “what I see is what I get,” there are actually more variables involved in the information our senses convey than we realize.
A book by a neuroscientist named David Eagleman, Incognito, gives us a deeper understanding of this idea. Eagleman argues that our brains don’t simply analyze incoming visual information and see things after the fact, but rather make predictions about the world based on sensory data and previous experiences. In other words, much of what we believe we see is more of a prediction based on past memories and experiences – our brains are reconstructing the present based on the afterimages of what we’ve seen before.
In this sense, I can see that “faith” is not necessarily based solely on actual experience, which is why the strength and courage my mom has always displayed has stuck with me. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from her life, it’s the drive to believe in oneself and move forward, and the unwavering courage of a bull’s horn. As the saying goes, “go it alone, like a bull’s horn,” and whenever I see her unwaveringly forging her own path in the world, I feel like I’ve gained the most reliable guide in my life.
Even when I first saw the title of the aforementioned book, “Seeing is Believing,” the first person I thought of was my mom’s face. She has accomplished so much on her own, and it was from her that I learned the attitude and direction I should take in life. She was the one who stood behind the scenes and watched everything from the sidelines until her children graduated from college, got married, and started their own families. Without her dedication, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
We go through a lot in our lives, but the wisdom and strength she has taught us is always there to support us. Even with the intensity of my job and the endless workload, my mom’s health and happiness is the one thing I never lose sight of. More than any success, I want her to be healthy and at peace, because at the end of the day, her health is what gives me the strength to keep going.
The greatest asset I have is my mother, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the sacrifices she has made in raising my siblings. My lifelong wish is to see her live a happy and healthy life, and I hope that I can emulate the courage and dedication that she has shown, and that I will always be grateful for the people in my life.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of my family and friends for being here today to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday.
70th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
I woke up this morning feeling unnecessarily happy. As I start my day, a smile spreads across my face, a hum comes out of my mouth, and I realize that today is just a good day. If only every morning could start like this. Many mornings these days I just feel good. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s my improved health, maybe it’s the hot breakfast my wife or husband is preparing, maybe it’s the aroma of coffee, maybe it’s the lightness in my heart, maybe it’s the excitement of seeing you.
What is it that truly stays with us through life? When I look back over my 70 years of life, I realize that I’ve gained and lost a lot of things, but in the end, it’s the family, friends, and memories that stay with me. In the end, it’s the pictures that show the times that have passed. Last night, I couldn’t sleep thinking about meeting you. I pulled out my old photo album and flipped through the pages, reminiscing about old acquaintances, people who are no longer with us, and people who will remain dear to my heart forever… It’s a thrill to be with them today, to be reminded of them.
Nowadays, we take pictures on our phones and store them in digital albums, but my generation captured memories on paper – we took pictures with a camera, printed them out, and lined them up in photo albums. Whenever I had time, I’d pull out those photos and reminisce about the past. I’d see my family, my friends, my seniors, and my old coworkers. I’ve laughed at my younger self, marveled at my children’s growth, and seen a whole life packed into a single photo album.
Last night, I opened the photo album once again. I saw the smiling faces of my young parents, the innocent faces of my grandchildren, and the passage of generations. As I stared at them, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for all the people who have passed through my life and all the people who are still with me.
As I saw myself smiling in the photos, I wondered if I would be in someone’s photo album. How would I be remembered by others? Perhaps I have a different memory than the one in the photo.
When we think of people in our memories, we can close our eyes and picture them, and it’s because of their presence that we are who we are, and who we can be nostalgic for. It’s warming to know that I’ve been remembered by someone for so many years, and that I’ve been remembered by someone in return.
The passage of time makes me realize the finiteness of life, and knowing that I won’t live forever makes the here and now seem even more precious. I think it’s time for us to start meeting up with those we’ve been putting off, and to look back at each other one more time. I would like to thank all of you for being here today and for making it possible.
In closing, I hope that the memories I share with you today will become another cherished page in my life, and I hope that this day will leave you with warm memories as well.
70th Birthday Greetings On behalf of my family
Last night I could hear a light rain falling outside my window, and this morning I woke up to a clear, clean, private sky. While it was raining, I thought a lot about today. The rain under the dark sky soaked my heart and calmly reminded me of the memories of the past years. I feel that after this rain stops, another deeper winter will come, and like that clear blue winter sky, I feel that today’s seat envelops me.
Looking back, I realize that in my younger years, I was determined to live life on fire, to live each day full of excitement and passion, which is why I rejected anything sticky, anything suffocating, anything that clung too closely to me. I was especially wary of mediocrity; the repetition of routine and empty conversations often felt like they were suffocating me. I realized in hindsight that this was probably my own struggle against the loneliness and bitterness that everyone experiences. It was an innocent struggle to find meaning in even the most ordinary day.
And then, when I became a parent, it was a different kind of challenge. With the vague fear and anxiety of raising a child without my husband, I couldn’t let go of the question, “Will I be able to do a good job as a parent?” There were many sleepless nights with my first child in my arms. As time went by, my affection and love for my daughter grew stronger and stronger. Eventually, she became my greatest hope and support, penetrating deep into my life and giving me new life.
If there was a turning point in my life, it was the moment I gave birth to my daughter. From then on, I truly realized a new meaning of life. Even when I was teaching in schools, I didn’t believe that a child’s future could be judged by grades, and I often criticized parents for their vanity expectations. I once promised myself that I would never push my child for grades, but I found myself expecting better from my own child, and I beat myself up for a long time. When I was distressed over my inconsistency, I was afraid of how it would reflect on my daughter, but my little girl comforted me by saying, “I’m so glad you have high expectations.” I’ll never forget that moment.
It was at that moment that my anxious mind finally began to stabilize, and I began to find the meaning of my life. I would like to give all the glory to my daughter, who has stood by my side and supported me all the way to where I am today, and right now, I am gratefully reminded that together, we are a family that leans on each other for support and comfort, a mother and daughter who share love. As my daughter is the light of my life, I can only hope to shine a warm light in her life.
Today, I am truly grateful to be able to celebrate my 70th birthday with my beloved family and all of you, and I hope to live the rest of my life simply and warmly. Thank you for listening to me for so long.
70th Birthday Greetings Thank You
On the occasion of my 70th birthday, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for being with me.
It’s a great day to start the day with some early morning fresh air. It’s the end of a warm fall, and the scenery around me is beautiful. This weather makes me want to go out with my family, and I’m just grateful to be here with you today to celebrate this milestone.
The other day, I received a postcard from my son, with a scarlet postage stamp from Spain, showing a serene river and picturesque hills. As I gazed at the calm river and the words of my son’s regards, I suddenly realized that I wanted to travel there, and I wanted to say hello to people I hadn’t seen in years. It occurred to me that it would be nice to write them a handwritten note after all these years.
My son’s letter included stories from his long journey. He described the scars on his shoulders from walking down the road with his luggage, and his gratitude for the warmth of the people he met when he got lost in the torrential rain. As I read it, I felt a renewed desire to try again. I realized that there was still so much I wanted to learn, so much I hadn’t done yet.
We often hear that age is just a number, but it took me a long time to realize the true meaning of that statement. After receiving a postcard from my son, I decided to start doing some of the things I had put off for so long. I’ve been sending postcards to old friends to say hello and to rekindle long-lost relationships. Perhaps the reason we live our lives with a little bit of heartache is because we’ve forgotten how to tell someone how much we care, and I’m reminded that it’s the sincerity that moves people, not the fancy words.
Now I’m ready to take on a new challenge: I want to see and learn more about the world, as long as it doesn’t hurt my health. One by one, I will break down the prejudices of age and refuse to set my own limits. With your warm encouragement and support, I will be more courageous.
At the Eightieth Birthday Feast, I hope to share the experiences I’ve gained along the way. Thank you again for being with us, and we wish you continued health and happiness.
70th birthday greetings from the family
If a new start ends in failure, it doesn’t mean that life is over forever. I’ve come to realize that now, when I used to be filled with fear of failure. Looking back, I realize that even those days when I was so impatient and anxious were all valuable experiences. Getting older gives me perspective on life and broadens my horizons, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
When you start again, a whole new life opens up in front of you. It’s easy to forget that we have the privilege of starting over as long as we’re breathing, and that life is about direction, not speed. The idea that getting older means giving up and letting go is a myth. Instead of sitting back, I’m grateful to be able to take another step forward and learn something new along the way.
I dream about today and envision tomorrow. I’m excited for the days to come, just like I was when I was younger. Of course, I may fail again, but I now embrace failure as a part of life and an opportunity to grow. I realize that when I fall, I need to take a break to get back up, not to sit down and give up. I think that’s the beauty of life, when you realize that getting older is actually a great strength. You just have to remember to go slow, not too fast, but not too far off the beaten path.
It is said that happiness is highest in the 60s, and nowadays, it continues into the 70s. I think it’s important to embrace the beautiful old age as a new opportunity, rather than seeing it as an extension of life. In fact, I think old age can be infinitely different depending on how we choose to spend our time and resources. I’m leaving my past titles behind and living in the moment. I think what makes life fun for me is the vision and dreams I still have left.
Most of all, I hope you will support my challenges and dreams today. And I sincerely thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here. Being here with you gives me great strength and courage. I look forward to creating more enriching moments with you in the future, and I hope you have a delicious meal and a great time. With gratitude.
70th Birthday Greetings
hello. It’s already December and another year is coming to a close. It seems like just yesterday that we started 2023, but the year has flown by. Looking back over the past year, it seems like so much has happened. I’ve cried, I’ve laughed, I’ve been angry at times, and I’ve felt deeply happy.
But strangely enough, I remember the difficult moments more clearly than the happy ones. Maybe it’s because the happy memories are hidden deep in our minds and seem to be the ones that keep us alive. The things that are important to us aren’t always easy to see.
It warms my heart to be able to greet my family, friends, and loved ones today and share my story.
My happiness in life seems to come from ‘writing’. I’ve had a longing for writing since I was young, and after I retired, learning poetry at a cultural center seemed to open up another new life. If my youth in my 20s was the first act of my life, then the moment I learned poetry was probably the moment I opened a new act of my life.
When I look back on my life, I realize that Korea has undergone many changes, and I have had many anxious and precarious moments, so I think I had a wish for a more peaceful, comfortable, and happy world in my heart. Writing poetry didn’t come from a great deal of trouble; I just wanted to express the loneliness and loneliness I felt in my life.
As the years go by and I get older, the poem’s spaciousness and depth resonate with me more and more. A line from a poem I learned as a child comes back to me, and I find it reassuring and comforting amidst the weight of life, especially the deep sensitivity in the line “The yellow petals are about to bloom/ And in the night/ Fear falls away/ And sleep never comes to me.”
I recently wrote a poem on a postcard for a friend’s birthday, and it was heartwarming to see how happy she was. It reminded me that while it’s never easy to start something new when you’re older, you’re still up for the challenge, and it gave me a little encouragement to myself. I always hope to be a better person tomorrow than I am today, and a more mature person the day after tomorrow.
They say happiness is something you find, not something you create, and when you look around you, happiness, big and small, is everywhere. It’s just that we often don’t notice them in our busy lives. Sometimes, I feel a sense of excitement when I realize that I can find great happiness in the small things around me.
I will continue to strive to find happiness in my life, and I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for joining me here today. With your support and love, I will prepare for the new year with a warm heart.
Thank you.
70th birthday greetings from the family
I would like to thank my esteemed parents, and all of my family and friends for being here with me.
Understanding and respect for each other is so important between parents, children, and couples. However, we Koreans are somewhat clumsy in expressing our emotions, and children who grow up with blunt parents often feel confused because they have not learned to express their feelings.
I was one of those people. When my spouse would say something serious to me, I’d often brush it off or jokingly say, “What do you think of all that?” and then my spouse would become increasingly speechless, and I’d feel like we were growing apart.
One day, there was a moment when my spouse said, “I want to have a deep conversation,” and I remember not fully understanding what he meant, even then. Only in hindsight did I realize how inadequate I had been.
Once I changed my attitude, our relationship slowly began to change, and I began to see the chatty, energetic spouse I used to have. I also realized that I hadn’t been in a relationship for a long time, and I wondered if I was to blame for making him feel like a different person.
Now, when I start a conversation, I try to stop what I’m doing and focus on what my spouse is saying. I’ve also started to use empathetic phrases like, “I can see how that must have been upsetting you.” As my friend advised me, saying something small but genuinely empathetic has made our conversations deeper and more comfortable.
The older I get, the more I realize how important my spouse is to me. I realize how precious it is to have eye-to-eye conversations with him or her right now, when we’re not caught up in our busy lives, and I believe that our relationship will only deepen and strengthen.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my spouse for being by my side throughout my life, and my deepest gratitude to all of you for being with me.
70th Birthday Greetings On behalf of my family, thank you
‘Tis the season when the cold makes you cinch your collar, the summer that made you feel suffocated by the hot sun is gone, and the wind is blowing in a chilly breeze. I remember the snow that fell on the last winter night, and the white fluffy snow makes me realize that the year is coming to an end.
My parents once told me, “You show character in the way you eat grapes,” when they saw me eating one day and spitting out the skins and seeds right away. In retrospect, I think it was an act that reflected my radical and challenging nature. I’m an enterprising person, and once I put my mind to something, I see it through to the end, and I owe a lot of my success to my parents, who always cared about me. I recognize that I didn’t get here by myself by any means. From my adolescence, to my time in the military, to my marriage, there have always been people who have helped and supported me.
Looking back, I realize that a person’s character is a result of what they take in and what they spit out. When I was younger, I tried to get rid of everything that weighed on my mind by pushing it outward, and even my wild and crazy side was tempered by the love and understanding of my family. With my parents, spouse, and children watching over me and guiding me, I was able to mature a little bit.
The society where people live is complex, and it’s even more difficult because it’s a place where people’s unconscious minds collide with each other. The differences and conflicts between people make me tired and exhausted, but I keep correcting myself every day. I’ve learned that growing into a mature person requires self-discipline and compromise, and I’ve found that the most important thing in the process is the mindset of “I’m to blame.” Everything seemed difficult until I developed the habit of introspection, but thanks to that, I’ve been able to improve little by little.
I’m deeply grateful to all of you for being here today. I will continue to strive to be a better person.
70th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Acknowledgments
These days, I can’t stand the cold wind that chills my hands and feet and the sky that keeps getting higher and higher.
I packed up my favorite clothes and headed out the door.
You step outside, but don’t know where to go next.
It’s hard to keep one foot in front of the other when the sky is so close and the wind is so strong.
I’ll just go for a walk around the block, you think to yourself.
But then you hear the sound of a car that could be following you at any moment.
The acrid fumes make your mouth water.
At some point, your feet start to stomp.
Adjusting to the city as a country boy was not as easy as I thought it would be.
As a young man, I didn’t know anyone, and the unfamiliar alleyways and tall buildings seemed so foreign.
Now, I’ve grown accustomed to the cold urban feel.
I think it’s safe to say that I’m almost a city person.
Every day, I would wait until I got home to relax.
I’d go out for a refreshing walk and come back with a nervous tension.
Life in a city where it’s hard to take a walk in peace.
But I think the people I’ve met and loved and the sights I’ve seen have changed a lot of things in me.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been around so many people, learning pieces of their lives and sharing my own, that my heart has gradually grown wider and deeper.
I also feel like I’m gradually realizing the meaning of the word “precious” in my life. y
It taught me how to live each day to the fullest, not just to get through it.
I feel like I know what it’s like to have a full and happy heart.
I realize that it’s really just me that I can face while I’m walking my own path, unencumbered by anyone else.
Maybe that’s what it’s all about, getting in touch with a primal, pure soul you can’t even remember.
Maybe it’s these experiences that create tiny ripples in your life that eventually lead to huge changes.
I feel like my senses are expanding with each passing day.
When I revisit a place I visited a year ago, even if it’s the same place a few days ago, my senses are fulfilled and the world seems bigger.
Perhaps I’m becoming a broader, deeper person.
Feelings I didn’t know when I was younger, and things I didn’t realize were important to me, are settling into my heart one by one, and it’s like meeting a long-lost friend.
I can’t describe the joy of listening to the crashing waves as live music, feeling the sea breeze tickle the nape of my neck, inhaling the scent of flowers, picking raspberries and tiny barley berries hidden in the grass, and watching the tiny flutter of a butterfly’s wings.
After all these years, with so many memories, I feel a new sense of joy and peace.
I feel like I have a river of peace in my life now.
The comfort and peace of nature is so much warmer and deeper.
The flowers that I didn’t see, the grass that I didn’t notice, the birds that I didn’t hear, are now audible and touching my heart.
I resolve to keep this peace in the time ahead, and to think and be a bigger person.
I would like to thank my family and friends for making this all possible, and to all of you for being here with me.
For me, this moment today is more precious than anything else.
Thank you.
A 70th birthday thank you
The sun’s fading rays tell us that summer has left us.
It’s funny how time flies when it’s been such a searing hot summer.
Soon, after this winter, the leaves will lose their green and turn yellow.
Spring flowers will show off their colors and fragrances, and another year will begin.
Just like every year, another new year will begin, and my heart will be filled with excitement.
As I celebrate my 70th birthday today, the years that have passed seem like a dream.
When I was younger, I never imagined this moment would come, and it’s overwhelming to realize that I’m now entering the twilight of my life. Most of all, I’d like to thank my family for giving me this opportunity.
On social media, I had this thought.
I thought I wanted to live differently than my dad and my friends, and that was all I could think about.
If I couldn’t change the world, I wanted to at least change myself.
But I didn’t want to do it alone.
I thought it might have something to do with living with someone else – getting out of this rat hole of a city and living with someone I respected and loved.
But now, I think I know.
Most lives will pass away.
A person will die, and all traces of his life will slowly fade away, but I still think about it.
That each and every one of us is the author of our own life.
Even if we die and leave no name behind, even if no one remembers us a hundred years from now, we still live.
Because this moment is precious, this moment is what matters.
I’ve always made mistakes and had regrets, but in the moment, life goes on.
With the belief that even if I did something stupid today, tomorrow could be a great day to make up for it.
I still think about that today.
My 70 years have not been complete, full, or fulfilling, but I’m glad I have tomorrow.
The truth is, I’ve always had family and friends by my side all the way through.
The love of my family and the warm words of my friends have made me stronger, and I am especially grateful to my wife, my children, and everyone who has cried and laughed with me along the way.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you for attending this event, and as I look back on my 70 years of life, it has been a great comfort and joy to know that you have been by my side.
I wish you all the best in the years to come, and I hope you will stay healthy and happy together.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
70th Birthday Greetings
It’s winter, and the cold winds are freezing me to the bone. This time of year makes me think of the years that have passed. Time has flown by, and now I’m celebrating my 70th birthday amidst the white snow. I’m so grateful for all of you who have been with me.
The cold has woken up my lethargic cells, and this morning is filled with fresher air and cleaner streets than yesterday, thanks to the winter rains that fell overnight. I’m grateful for the warmth of the winter sunshine, which has made for a pleasant day.
So many days in my life have gone by in a hurry, and looking back, I can only appreciate what time has taught me. I remember how loneliness became my friend on some days, and how I was grateful for every little joy on others. As the years go by, you realize how precious the memories you hold in your heart are. Now, I’m grateful for even the hardest moments. I’m grateful for the moments I share with the people I love.
When I was younger, the world seemed so simple: I didn’t like what I didn’t like, and I liked what I liked. ‘I don’t like what I don’t like, and I don’t like who I don’t like.’ Being the person I am, I never thought I had to live for anyone else. ‘I only laugh when it’s funny, and I don’t laugh when it’s not funny. I’ve always thought that life is as simple as that.” My outlook on the world and my stubbornness have remained the same since my childhood.
But at some point, I started to feel like I had to force myself to create relationships and maintain them. My first social life was uncomfortable and difficult, like I was wearing clothes that didn’t fit. No one was really reaching out to me, and I was wrapping myself up in my own little bubble, so I was fostering my own loneliness. I didn’t know it at the time, but I’ve come to realize how valuable it is to find someone who can share a piece of their life with you, and how rare that connection is.
I’ve realized something as I’ve gotten older. It’s that getting older doesn’t have to be all pain and suffering. The stubbornness that was so hard in me is slowly melting away. Thanks to the many people I’ve crossed paths with in my life, I’ve become a different person – my horizons have broadened, my outlook on the world has become more generous. It’s a peace of mind that I couldn’t have imagined when I was younger.
When I was younger, I used to wonder what I would be like as an old man, and I used to promise myself that I would be a learned and noble old man, like a sage. I don’t know if I’ll ever live up to that promise, but I’m glad that time has changed me. Perhaps I still have some stubbornness and arrogance left in me, and I hope to slowly melt them away in my remaining years.
As I approach my 70th birthday, I realize that I still have a lot to learn and realize in life. I believe that I am who I am today because of the family, friends, and relationships that have been with me throughout my life, and I am grateful to all of you for being here to share this time with me. I will continue to live each day with even more gratitude for the rest of my life.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being here.
70th birthday greetings from the family
American novelist James Duncan described life in his 1992 novel Brothers K: “My father, who was a professional baseball player, told me that there are two ways for a hitter to get the pitches he wants: the easiest way is not to favor any particular pitch, but the best hitters are the ones who want any pitch they’re going to get, which may sound similar, but is actually quite different, including pitches that are at their disposal, even pitches they know they’re going to strike out on. Even dead balls, you just have to want them.”
“You just have to want it.”
It sounds like it means to take in everything that happens in life, whether it’s pain or joy, just live it, take it all in, and maybe that’s the challenge for all of us. The world is full of challenges and unexpected moments that are beyond our expectations, and we’ve been trying to balance them in our own way.
It’s not easy, and it’s scary to face what we’re ready to accept, and we realize the nature of life is too much to handle. It makes you realize that survival itself is meaningless, let alone the pursuit of a meaningful life. I’m already feeling the dread and exhaustion.
I realize now that happiness isn’t at the destination, it’s on the journey to get there. The belief that happiness is at the destination was my arrival error: the vague belief that I’ll be happy at some point in the future, and the false assumption that I’ll be happy when I reach a certain state of being. That’s how I’ve been living with my unhappiness today.
It’s been said that happy people are successful, rather than successful people are happy. If I don’t enjoy the journey to get to my destination, I’ll be unhappy when I get there and I’ll be running again for the next destination, and maybe I wouldn’t have understood that if it weren’t for the time I spent with you, my friends. I needed time and space to stop, look back, and savor the days I had with the people I cared about.
I was wondering when the day would come in my life when I would be able to breathe and take stock of where I’ve been, and I guess today is that day. It’s been hard, and I’ve been living pretty fiercely, but I’m glad it’s over, even though it’s been painful for me because I’ve been so insatiable. I finally understand and appreciate the things that are really important to me, the essence of life.
Most of all, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for attending my 70th birthday celebration. The presence of all of you who laughed and cried with me makes this day even more precious. I wish you all the best in the journey ahead. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
70th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
Dear esteemed family and friends, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for taking the extraordinary step to celebrate my father’s 70th birthday today.
There is a German writer named Heinrich Böll, whose story “Anecdote of the Fall of the Work Ethic” reminded me of my father. In the story, a fisherman has a short conversation with a tourist in a big city who reminds him of the true value of life.
As he dozes off on the dock, the tourist asks him, “Why don’t you catch more fish?” The fisherman tells him that he can catch a lot of fish, make a lot of money, and one day sit back in the harbor and watch the sea and relax. “I’m already doing that.” It’s the fisherman who has a real sense of ease in his life that the tourist admires.
In this fisherman, I saw a reflection of my father: a man who stepped away from the competition and achievement that the world demands, found a life of value for himself, and showed it to his children. He is what the Greek philosophers called “true leisure”. He has always focused on his own life and stuck to the path he chose, rather than living in a race to the bottom, and that’s the kind of life I want to emulate.
When I think back on his words, what always sticks with me is his sense of relaxation and life wisdom. When I’m busy, I often visit my father and talk to him. We don’t talk about anything in particular, but I find that our conversations rejuvenate and energize me. Conversations with my father are like a tonic for me. Just like my lungs get oxygen, I get rest and energy from him.
Can we someday look at the world like a fisherman, like my dad, with a relaxed mind? In this world of endless competition, the way of life that my father showed me seems like an unattainable goal, like a green mountain range in the distance. I hope to embrace his teachings and follow in his footsteps for the rest of my life.
Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for being here today. My father is here today because of the presence of his family, friends, and those around him. Thank you for being with us.
We wish you all good health and happiness.
70th Birthday Greetings On behalf of the family
It’s a beautiful day with a light dusting of snow in the middle of the day.
It seems like just yesterday we were afraid to go outside because of the blazing sun.
It was a day when we desperately needed a cold breeze.
Now that winter is here, we’re longing for the warmth of spring.
As the seasons change and the years pass, I look back and realize that so much has happened.
There were days when I wondered when I would grow up, and moments when I was full of dreams and curiosity about the world.
But as I stand here today, I realize the weight of time.
When I was very young, I once went to the backwoods and got some surgically peeled ginkgo from a local woman.
We were poor, so we didn’t get to eat them very often, but we also didn’t get to see them without the hard, smelly mesocarp.
He kept it in his pocket because it was precious, and when he got home from playing with it, he took it out in front of his mother.
“I see my son has learned to think of his mother.”
I got a compliment from my mom that I didn’t expect.
I still have fond memories of my mother and I eating the roasted ginkgo biloba, just the two of us, when it was just a few days old.
That tangy, nutty flavor still lingers in my mouth more than 20 years later.
The warm memories contained in a few ginkgo biloba eggs are brought to the forefront on days like today.
It’s those little moments that have made me who I am today, even if sometimes I wish I could go back,
but I’m grateful to be able to reminisce about them now.
I love the smile on my mother’s face when she was struggling to make ends meet with a second job, and the fact that I, a mouthful of a kid, got into the habit of grabbing every last morsel of food I could find.
If I could have grown a pair of fingers, it would have been then.
We didn’t even have a refrigerator, let alone a cupboard to store cold food.
It was a hole-in-the-wall store in the back alley of our humble neighborhood.
It was a good time to be a kid in a willowy house with a family of seven, where we didn’t distinguish between shop and home.
I remember laughing and talking with my siblings. So much has changed over the years,
but the moments we shared together have stayed with me. The time with my family, the encouragement and admonition from my brothers
have shaped me into the person I am today.
I remember my eldest brother, who never scolded me for not being able to study because he believed that every potential is unique and needs time to develop.
At the time, he was the one who scared me more than my father.
His words still ring in my ears, that everyone has a time to shine through their trials and experiences.
It’s something I’ve tried to remember and think about my whole life.
Having learned that, over time, I’ve come to the point where I have to play the role of an adult.
I’ve tried to teach the same patience and waiting to my juniors and my children.
I have a deep sense of what it means to be an adult and what it means to be responsible for the weight of life.
It’s been said that we need a time to think about how we’re doing, how we’ve been doing, and how we’re going to do.
Maybe this is that time.
As I think about my age, 70, a little over, I think about the past, the present, and the future.
Maybe this is a time of pause in my life.
It’s a time of rest, a time of renewed energy, a time of reflection.
I feel like I have a deeper, broader perspective now.
Now I’m thinking about how I’m going to spend the rest of my time and what I’m going to leave behind. My family and friends who have been so willing to be there for me,
and all of you who are here with me today. I dedicate this honor to all of them for making me the person I am today.
Thank you.
70th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
When people get together to share memories, it’s natural to talk about the past and the future. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the memories I have shared with you, and to wish you good health and happiness in the future.
Growing up in the 1970s and 80s, Muhammad Ali was a huge legend to kids like me. He was my idol, and the punches that came from muscles the size of a child’s torso seemed so unearthly. Then there was a boxer who knocked him out in the ring. It was Joe Frazier, who delivered a sharp punch to Ali’s chin on March 8, 1971, in a World Boxing Council (WBC)-World Boxing Association (WBA) unified heavyweight match at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Ever since that day, the fight between Ali and Frazier has remained unforgettable in my mind. There were nights when I couldn’t sleep because I was so torn apart by the feeling that Ali, who was like a brother to me, had been punched in the face. I still remember saying to my young mind, ‘Joe Frazier, I will never forget your name, even in death.
That day, Ali flew like a butterfly and couldn’t sting like a bee. True to his nickname, Smokin’ Joe, Frazier pummeled him with such force that smoke seemed to billow from his gloves. The two were destined to be rivals, and they fought two more times. Frazier, who led boxing’s heyday with Ali in the 1970s, passed away in 2011, just after my 70th birthday. When I saw the brief newspaper article announcing that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer and had passed away at a hospice in Philadelphia, it was bizarre to read about the passing of someone who had been both an idol and an adversary, and the news hit me like the death of an old friend.
When I think back to the sleepless nights of my childhood because of Frasier, I realize that growing older is a process of letting go of so many things. Now, whenever I hear of the passing of heroes of the past and many others who were there, I’m reminded of how fleeting time is. One by one, actors we’ve loved, athletes we’ve admired, and artists we’ve admired pass away. I’m now approaching my own 70th birthday, and I’ve lost people I once fervently admired.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In this quote by philosopher George Santayana, we rely on our memories to help us navigate our lives, create memories, and forge new paths. It seems that the older we get, the deeper our memories become, the more fond memories we keep in our minds, and the more often we can recall happy moments. The times in our lives are connected by the people we share them with, so everyone in this room is an important part of my life, and these memories will stay with me for a long time to come.
It’s a great joy to always have something to remember, so today I take my connection with you to heart and thank you all again for being here. I sincerely wish you all good health and happiness.
70th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
Fall seems to be a great time to go out with your kids to enjoy the fall foliage.
We always used to take a picnic to the mountains with our family in the fall, and there’s nothing more gratifying than walking with your child through the fall-colored mountains and fields full of ripening grain. This year, autumn seems to have come earlier than usual. Maybe it feels that way because it’s my 70th birthday year, and it’s hard to believe that I’m turning 70.
It’s a strange thing to get older.
You try to recall the years that have passed, but your memories are a blur, and it feels like a time in your life is long gone. When I try to recall my first love, my heart still beats with excitement, but I can’t recall his or her name or face, even though I loved him or her as passionately as if he or she were the last love of my life. When I smell the scent of the crisp breeze from when I was 20 years old, the emotions of that time suddenly come flooding back to me. When nostalgia creeps into my memory without warning, the happy moments of those years become clear once again.
I’m grateful for the memories that come flooding back over the years.
Whether it’s an old place, the scent of an old object, the stone walls of Deoksugung Palace where I walked with my first love, or even a letter, I feel like the person I was then is still alive and well. Seoul has transformed into a global city, but it’s hard to find that old scene anywhere you walk. As buildings rise and Seoul becomes a symbol of modernity, traces of the past are fading away. The streets of Pyeonghwa Market are now just a fashion statement for the younger generation, and fewer and fewer people seem to know what it was like for Jeon Tae-il to fill those streets with the cry, “Workers are people too! Despite this constant change in the world, there are still moments that make my heart tingle as I reflect on the values and memories of my life.
As I look back on my 70th birthday, I realize that my life has been a series of changes and challenges.
I try not to forget that much of what we take for granted today was built with someone else’s sweat, sacrifice, and deep sorrow. The sweat of my father and mother when I was young, the turbulent years of what was called the miracle of the Han River, are moments that I recall with fondness and pride, and I am deeply grateful for them.
With all these memories, I live every day with a heart full of gratitude.
I am truly grateful to my family and loved ones for raising me to this point, and to everyone who has been a part of every moment of my life. I will continue to cherish every day that comes my way as much as the years that have passed. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for joining me here today and wish you all the best in health and happiness.
70th birthday greetings from the family
The evening sunset is in full swing.
I am so grateful for the crisp fall breeze, the delicious food, and the company of all of you. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for making this special occasion possible. As I look back on the path I’ve traveled, I’m reminded of how short and long life is, and how grateful I am for each moment.
My hometown is now a small town of only a dozen or so families, not a big town since my childhood. Compared to our neighbors with over a hundred families, our town was always secluded and quiet, but it was also a friendly town with a lot of people who cared about each other. Over the years, one by one, people have moved away and it’s now a rather small town, but a hometown is a hometown, and somehow it stays with you forever.
Even as a child, I loved to wake up early in the morning, just as the first chickens crowed, and take a walk around the village. I would hold my dad’s hand and we would walk around the neighborhood, talking about school and my secret crush, and as we walked, all the dogs in the neighborhood would bark and make a lot of noise, and then it would be quiet again. My dad would always laugh and say, “When we patrol the neighborhood, even the dogs don’t bark anymore because they feel like they belong there.” I still remember those childhood memories clearly.
It’s been five years since I’ve been back to live in that place. I am very grateful to the elders and neighbors who welcomed me with open arms. Away from the exhausting city life, we spend our days in the slow clock of our hometown. Hometowns seem to make life a little more generous, a little more relaxed. I’ve learned to slow down from the rush of life and look back. Sometimes, when I see a quiet sunset, I’m reminded of the path I walked with my dad one day.
In fact, I think there’s always that waiting in the back of my mind now: the feeling of seeing my friends again, of the alleyway coming to life as it was then. Sometimes I have flashbacks of running across an empty playground to return my little brother’s umbrella, and I find myself wishing I could go back to those moments, as life’s scenes play out like countless epilogues.
Nothing is ever accomplished alone, and I owe a lot to the help and grace of many people who have helped me get to where I am today. To each and every one of you who have shared this space with me, I extend my sincere gratitude and respect. I’m also deeply grateful to my family for their constant support. Thank you all again for sharing this moment with me, and I hope we continue to love and cherish each other.
With gratitude.
70th birthday greetings on behalf of my family
Another year has passed the halfway mark. It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming the new year and making plans for the new year, but time flies like an arrow, and as I have been living with my own worries and wishes in the flow of time, I have come to this 70th birthday celebration.
Looking back, I realize that even the ordinary days had their own precious meanings and countless experiences. Life has always been a journey of joy and pain, where we’ve met people, formed families and taken care of each other, and felt the pain of separation through parting. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and we’ve gotten to where we are today, one step at a time.
Much of the pain we feel in our lives may be unnecessary; much of it is self-created and often comes from deep within us. Certainly, even in the here and now, it is often our resistance to accept things as they are that creates pain. This resistance can be positive in its own way, pushing us in new directions, but it can also create pointless obsessions.
So it seems that we need to learn to control our minds, to accept and honor the present moment as it is. But we know it’s not easy, and even though we take the phrase “acceptance begins with reality” to heart, we still have unresolved struggles and worries lurking inside us. Maybe it’s just a part of life that we have to live with.
As I reflect on my life, there is a song that has stuck with me. The words of the tree song are “There’s too much of me in me, no place for you to rest. There’s so much of me in me, there’s no place for you.” One day, I confided in my spouse that I was having a hard time dealing with the overflow of myself, and she told me, ‘Everyone goes through that,’ and I found some comfort in that. My heart felt a little lighter, realizing that it wasn’t just me, but everyone was living with their own struggles.
Sometimes it seems like everyone in Korea is suffering from happiness OCD. It’s great that we only talk about each other’s happiness, but sometimes, isn’t it more comforting to share our pain and anxiety? When we understand that we all have bad days and moments where we feel alone, we’ll be able to grow a little closer together.
I myself was extremely depressed until I was in my thirties and struggled a lot between my self, my ideals, and my reality. Then one day, there was a moment when it seemed pointless to live in pain anymore. In that moment, I casually said to myself, “Today I will kill myself.” Then I suddenly realized how contradictory that statement was. Does that mean there is another me inside of me, besides me? Once I realized that the real me and the me that judges me coexist, I was able to get out of this confusion.
Looking back on it now, I think I am the person I am today because of that time, because I went through the dark tunnel of life, and what I learned and gained along the way eventually filled my life. The here and now is precious, and it’s all worth it.
Looking back, I realize that it was my spouse, children, and loved ones that got me through the long journey and got me to this point. To all of you, I am truly grateful, and thank you again for being with me.
