How do you thank someone for celebrating their 80th birthday? In this article, we’ve put together a variety of sample thank you greetings to help you make this special day even more meaningful. Make it an unforgettable moment with a heartfelt and touching message!
80th birthday greeting from the head of the family
They say people don’t change. We all come with a strong DNA that was passed down from our parents, our parents’ parents, and the ancestors before them. Those genetic traits don’t seem to allow for much in the way of personality to change with the environment. Furthermore, the older you are and the smaller your vessel, the more pronounced these tendencies seem to be, which is something I’ve noticed in my own family. How much can a person really change? This is a question I’ve always struggled with.
Some people say they change when they go through a big trial, but even that might not be easy. In fact, there’s one episode that made me realize that people don’t change easily. It’s said that Hitler’s last words before he died were, “I regret that I was too forgiving.” It struck me that this was the last thing he said, after slaughtering millions of Jews and ordering the execution of the mentally ill and terminally ill among the German people. It made me think that maybe, just maybe, people don’t really change.
I’ve tried to change in my own life, but I don’t think it’s easy, and when I think back to my school days, I remember writing dozens of pages of reflection papers, getting scolded by my teachers many times, and still not changing. I even shed a few tears while writing my reflections, but it was only for a moment. I don’t know if it was stubbornness or misunderstanding that kept getting in my way. I felt like I was stuck in a revolving door of personnel, no matter how hard I tried to change, I was stuck in the same place. I was also limited by the fact that I couldn’t change my morals over time.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize how terrifying habits can be. I still have a lot of things I need to fix: going to bed late and waking up late, not exercising consistently, procrastinating, reading only my favorite books, and I’m still trying to change, albeit slowly. I’m trying to change my habits, albeit slowly, and push past my own stubbornness and limitations.
I’m trying to keep myself awake so that I don’t become a stubborn old man, so that I don’t see the world through a narrow lens. I will continue to be vigilant about myself, and I will continue to strive to be a better person. Most of all, I want to thank you all for being here with me today. Your presence here to celebrate my 80th birthday makes this day even more special.
80th birthday thank you message
It’s seven o’clock in the morning and the sun is shining through the window. As the sunlight fills the room, you realize it’s another day, and you feel calm. You shower and brush your teeth to freshen up, and as you sit down to a hearty breakfast, you’re grateful for another day. It’s a routine that’s become routine, but I love the peacefulness that comes with it.
Sometimes I realize how precious this routine is. I’m on my way to meet a friend, and the crowded train is overwhelming, but the smell of fresh shampoo all around me makes it not so unpleasant. The fidgeting people, the mother holding the hand of a small child, the warmth of the sunlight shining through the window, all make me feel at ease. The world seems so beautiful as the train sways from side to side in the right sunlight. I get to see good scenery, and I get to see good people, so it’s all good.
Nowadays, I hear a lot of people talking about waiting for their grandchildren to call to say hello, but instead of waiting, I try to call them first, because I have more time on my hands than they do, and it’s my own pleasure to ask them how they are and chat with them. Sometimes they answer the phone with a grumpy voice because they’re busy, but it’s a small pleasure to ask them how they are and chat with them, so I’ve come to know them very well, and I often hear their inside stories.
Recently, the oldest girl got a job, but she was scolded by her boss and stressed over small things. When I listen to her story, I feel sorry that I don’t have any words of comfort, but I tell her that it’s all in the past and that there’s a new day waiting for her. When they tell me tough stories, I’m tempted to offer advice because it reminds me of my own experiences when I was younger, but it’s often more helpful to just listen.
Toward the end of the evening, I share a few beers with some of my close neighborhood friends. Some of my friends complain that the routine has become boring, even freeing. “Take up a hobby, exercise, read a book,” they say, but somehow, at this age, nothing sparks my interest easily. But I’m content with the small joys and appreciate the day. I live each day with the mindset that the world is meant to entertain me, and I believe that positive outlook is the secret to my good health.
I am deeply grateful to my family, friends, and all those who have joined me in celebrating my 80th birthday.
80th Birthday Reflections
A professional is someone who can take any position, any genre, and do it well. But someone who says they can’t do what they can’t do is an artist. Like someone who is driven by the necessity of being, not just talent. They say.
‘I can’t do that, I might have been able to do it yesterday, maybe tomorrow, but right now, right now, I can’t do it.’
In that sense, there are things that you can’t do unless authenticity happens. In fact, it’s so common to see artistic creators emphasize sincerity that it’s almost a cliché. It doesn’t inspire me to say I’m going to sing my heart out. Perhaps the word “sincerity” has been used so often that it has become jaded to both the listener and the speaker, but as clichéd as it may sound, we wouldn’t be where we are today without it.
But the phrase ‘if you don’t mean it, you can’t sing it’ is different. It’s not just a matter of putting your heart into it, it’s a determination to make it real. There’s a sense of destiny in “You can’t sing if you don’t mean it.” It’s like you’re in a position where no one can replace you, and you’re putting yourself out there with all your heart.
When I listen to ○○○’s songs, I get that feeling. I feel the craftsmanship, the brilliance that comes from someone who has stuck to one path for so long. It’s hard to fathom how much passion, desire, and thirst one can have to be like you, and I think that passion is not just yours, but it’s mine, and I think it’s the inspiration for many of us here today, and I think it will continue to enlighten our lives.
One day, I asked you.
‘You don’t have enough time, you don’t have enough money, you don’t enjoy life.’
I still haven’t forgotten his gem of a story.
‘The moment the artistic soul awakens,’ he said, ‘is when you wake up with a cup of tea, on the way home from work, late at night, smelling the cold night air.’
Maybe that’s the moment of happiness, because the moment you put it down, your artistic soul is awakened, and you experience happiness. I want to live my whole life with an artistic soul. I will strive to live by your example. I thank you for being here today, and I thank Mr. ○○○ for showing me that artistic soul before anyone else. I will live my life with this gratitude and resolve in my heart for a long time.
80th Birthday Greetings Speaker’s Acknowledgments
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for attending Mr. ○○○’s 80th birthday celebration. It’s an honor to be asked to deliver a commemorative speech for someone I’ve always admired.
Mr. ○○○ is an inspiration to many people. I, too, have learned a lot and reflected on myself by observing his behavior and character up close. His humility and consideration for others has always been a great lesson for me. His warmth and consideration for those around him, and his quiet humility, are virtues that are even more precious in today’s world.
What is humility? Many people strive to stand higher than others, but I believe that true humility is not satisfied with that position, but rather a willingness to stay low and breathe with others. You have always upheld this value of humility and set a good example for many people.
When you think about it, who among us doesn’t want to brag about ourselves, and I’m no different. It’s human nature to secretly want to show ourselves off, even in conversation. Sometimes we brag about our accomplishments, sometimes we talk about our children or family, and often we feel proud of ourselves. But Mr. ○○○ never showed off or exposed himself. Rather, he has quietly fulfilled his role and set an example for others.
I have learned a lot from his humility. Rigorous self-evaluation and self-discipline are among the virtues he has always emphasized. His words, “I learn humility more than miracles,” are deeply engraved in my heart. Through him, I realized how important it is to be introspective and reflective.
Perhaps one of the lost virtues in our society today is the rigor of self-reflection. We often forget how necessary it is to look at ourselves and be hard on ourselves first, rather than pointing out the shortcomings of others. I am reminded to be as humble as you are, and to be someone who is filled with introspection rather than pride.
Your life is a great lesson for all of us. May you always be healthy, happy and peaceful. I wish you a very happy 80th birthday, and it is an honor to spend time with you.
Once again, I would also like to thank all of you for being here today. I will continue to live my life with the same humility and maturity as you, Mr. ○○○. Thank you.
Extended version of 80th birthday thank you
I was born in a poor family and lived in poverty all my life. Learning seemed like a luxury in that situation, so I never really thought much about learning. All my friends at that time worked before learning, and my parents felt the same way, so I started working before learning.
However, in the back of my mind, I always had a nostalgia for learning. I remember watching from a distance as students walked down the street in their old school uniforms. There were moments when tears would well up in my eyes as I watched their backs, and I still remember the feeling of envy that overwhelmed me. I even tried to follow where they were going during the short time I had off work, but eventually I had to get back to work.
In my young mind, I thought that if I started working earlier than everyone else, I would become wealthy, and then I would be able to learn Hangul later on. But life didn’t work out that way, and it wasn’t easy to escape the cycle of poverty. Not knowing Hangul was more than just an inconvenience; it made me feel inferior many times in my life, and it made me feel like I was out of touch with the world. I would ask people questions and feel hurt by their casual “Don’t you know that?” remarks.
As the years went by, I decided to learn to read. Everyone told me it wouldn’t be easy at my age, but I couldn’t give up. I remember the trepidation of holding a pencil for the first time, the struggles that followed, and the frustration of not being able to pick up the pace, but as I began to read and write, letter by letter, I felt myself breaking free. After a year or so, I was able to go to the bank and write my name and write down my account number and social security number.
Walking down the street, I can now recognize a sign and say, “That’s the Samgyetang restaurant,” and the moment I recognize it, I remember the frustration I felt when I couldn’t read. Riding the bus and subway feels natural, and I feel like I have more choices in my life. Whereas before I was afraid to speak my mind to others, I now feel confident in saying what I’m feeling or thinking. Learning to write wasn’t just about reading and writing, it was a life-changing experience, a new way of understanding and expressing myself.
Now, on my 80th birthday, I feel fulfilled by learning to write and by reading books. Throughout my journey, writing has been a calling and a lifelong desire for me. It’s been my door to the world, my way of finding myself, and if there’s one thing I’ve done best in my long life, it’s deciding to learn to write.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for their support and encouragement throughout my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my children and family, who believed in me and supported me. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for your love and support. I will continue to cherish my time with you and live a healthy life.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Acknowledgments
‘That the last fruits may ripen greedily…, grant them two more tropical days.’
This is a line from Rilke’s poem Autumn Days.
The season of fall foliage, more beautiful than flowers, is fading, and we rely on the waning sun to finish up unfinished business.
It’s hard to believe how quickly the days go by, and it’s hard to breathe in the heat of summer, but now that fall is here, I’m nostalgic for the days that have passed, and I find myself reflecting on the depth of time.
A few years ago, I had a friend who passed away.
He was diagnosed with cancer and lived a year and a half before passing away.
I called him because I was worried, and he said this to me.
‘What a waste of a day. I’m just now noticing the little flowers that are blooming in the alleyway on my way home, and I’m just now noticing that there’s a scent in the breeze.’
Those words have stayed with me ever since. It made me realize how precious every day is, and how every moment is a gift.
After my best friend passed away, the loss was indescribable. I lived one more day, then two more, and here I am today, celebrating my 80th birthday. The older I get, the more people I know who pass away, and the more people I know who celebrate like this. As we live, we learn more, and we lose more, but I think it all comes together to make me who I am today.
I want to learn how to live, and then I will know how to die, and if I learn how to die, I will know how to live. I think the best way to live well is to be prepared to die at any moment, to leave a good memory and appreciation for those you leave behind.
If I don’t realize something that only those who are close to death realize, then it’s all for nothing. It’s not easy to live without regrets, because yesterday and today are full of them. But if I can find happiness in what I’m doing, I think I’ll live with fewer regrets. I’ll try to savor the small moments that pass by, and notice the important things in my life more often.
I would like to thank all of you for being here today. Looking at your faces, I am overwhelmed by the grace and love I have received from so many of you. Each and every one of you has enriched my life and brought me this far, and I will continue to cherish life and give back the gratitude I have received.
I wish you all good health and happiness. With gratitude.
80th birthday thank you
Yesterday, I was returning from having tea with a friend. It was late afternoon, the sun hadn’t cooled down yet, and there was a full moon in the sky. The moon has always been there somewhere in the sky, but seeing it in the daytime is a marvel. I don’t know about the people of the Great Plains, who have very good eyesight, or the islanders of the Pacific Islands, but for people like me, seeing the moon in the daytime is quite a strange and new experience.
Whenever I see the daytime moon, I’m reminded of a poem by the poet Hyunjong Chung, without feeling an inevitable connection.
‘There is an island among people. I want to go to that island.’
If you know the poem, you’ve probably pondered the identity of the island: it’s not in the ocean, but among people. Like a remote island floating in the ocean, there are moments of alienation and isolation in our hearts, but paradoxically, the island also becomes a pathway for us to reach out to each other, so I think it’s a lonely place, a place of warmth, a place we must reach out to at some point.
I also think of those who have passed away over the years. People who were close to me and are now far away, and people who I miss, but who are already gone. Looking back, I realize that what kept me going, what got me through the day, was people. The comfort they gave me, the kind words they spoke to me, sustained me, but I didn’t often say thank you to them. I’m sorry that I’ve been so busy with my life that I haven’t had time to share my heart with them. Perhaps I’ve been a very insufficient person indeed.
Today, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who have graciously accepted my feast, for it is because of all of you who have connected with me that I am who I am. Just as sometimes when it gets dark and the sun sets, the pale noonday moon becomes clearer and gains a definite glow, so too have I come to realize in my heart of hearts the preciousness of people. I’ve spent a lifetime chasing after money and fame, but now I realize that the most precious thing of all is the person next to you.
I’ve finally come to that realization, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the people who have been in my life. I confess that I am who I am today because of the people who have comforted me, encouraged me, cried and laughed with me. Just as the moon, whose presence was dim in the intense daylight, shines brightly in the darkness, I now cherish all those connections. It is at this point, when all is quiet, that I realize the preciousness of people.
To everyone I’ve met along my life’s journey, I want to tell you that my life has found light because of you, and that I am truly grateful. I will keep that in my heart today and hope that the rest of my life will be with you.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
It was a long time ago.
When I would go for a walk in the park or take a shortcut across the park on my way out, I would often see elderly people exercising by banging their backs against the large wooden poles set up in the park. I used to wonder why they were exercising so hard by banging their backs against the trees. I concluded to myself that maybe they were trying to get the energy of the tree, or maybe they were trying to strengthen their backs. I remember running towards my destination with that conclusion in mind.
Now that I look back, I realize that the elderly people who were banging their backs against those wooden beams weren’t just exercising or training; they were also seeking some sort of comfort and security through the contact between their backs and the wood. As we grow older, gain experience, and accumulate wisdom, we begin to see things that we couldn’t see when we were younger. Our horizons broaden, and life becomes more meaningful.
We’ve all heard the stories of orchards playing music to encourage fruit to bloom and cows to produce healthy amounts of milk, and I think that’s the magic of relationships. All living things are interconnected, and it seems to me that that touch and connection enriches us. I remember my grandmother rubbing my tummy as a child, saying, “Grandma’s hands are medicine.” I didn’t know it at the time, but now I realize how much her warmth and comfort meant to me, and how much I appreciated the emotional reassurance and comfort she provided.
Conversely, patients in the intensive care unit also need to have their backs rubbed regularly or they will develop pressure sores. In the end, the body and mind are always in contact and in relationship with their surroundings. If you think about it, that’s the source of life.
When I look back, I crave people, and I crave people now. My craving for human contact and relationships never diminishes over time. I want to meet and talk to many people, and I want to share my life with many people. These relationships have been the lifeblood of my life and the driving force behind my health.
I still miss people today, so I try to befriend people of all ages, from young children to elderly people, because that’s what drives my life.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to attend my 80th birthday celebration. It gives me great comfort and joy to have you here. I hope this is an enjoyable and fruitful occasion, and I sincerely wish you all good health and happiness. Yours sincerely.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
It’s heartwarming to see all of you here with me on my 80th birthday.
It’s funny and strange to think that the same young men and students I spent my childhood with are now gray-haired and here in this room. Sometimes I feel like I’m wearing a wig, but when I look at your wrinkled faces, I know I can’t be dreaming, and that playful expression is still there. How time flies.
The face and hands seem to carry the years of the person. One day, one of my children looked at my hands and said with tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry, Dad, I think I’ve only carved hardship into your hands.” My hands are not the only ones that bear the marks of hardship, but the years we have spent together.
If my children were heartbroken to see my hands, I was heartbroken to see my wife’s hands, once fine and soft, now rough and deeply wrinkled with age. I’ll never forget her hands behind the wheel as she drove me to the intercity bus terminal to help me get to work when I became disabled, and I felt a lonely feeling in my heart, like a fallen leaf in November. It was as if our years, our time, were racing toward autumn, and in the warmth of the sun, my wife’s face and the weight of our lives would come back to me.
The world has changed so much. When I returned to my hometown after a long absence, it was already filled with unfamiliar sights: roads where there had been no roads, tall buildings where there had been no buildings.
My wife and I often sit down over a hand-drip coffee and talk about how things have changed for the better. She’s still passionate about learning, and she talks about things she wants to try. I, a lover of memories, reminisce about the good old days, and I hope we’ll still have each other for a long time to come.
Thank you for being here with us.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
When asked what was the most important thing in life, I would say survival, because during the war years it was all about surviving and not dying. It was all about making ends meet, making sure you had a roof over your head for the day, and this raw fact has a weight that can never be conveyed to someone who hasn’t experienced it firsthand.
I had a brother who was three years old. He just wanted to know whose sky we were in, in a city called Seoul, in the middle of a war where we couldn’t even tell if we were there. He was trying to figure out if it was the sky of the Republic of Korea, the sky of the People’s Republic of China, and where we were in the chaos of war. My brother struggled to keep his family together in the midst of all that anxiety and fear. Everything was fear, and fear and anxiety were pervasive in those days.
Worrying about the future was something you could only do in times of peace. During war, the goal was just to survive, and worrying about the future was just a burden. It may sound harsh, but now that I’ve seen the world, looking back, I sometimes wonder if I would have been better off during the Japanese occupation. No matter how much pressure and disrespect we were under, we were more united as a people, as a family, and we had each other’s backs. But what about now, in these times? Sometimes, when I watch the news, I see the pain and devastation, just like in the war, and it reminds me of the good old days. I see couples divorcing, hats being turned at the drop of a hat, neighbors suing each other, one bloodline shattered and pretending.
The hardships of the evacuees from Busan and Daegu are indescribable, but even a thousand years of singing the lyrics of a popular song can’t make up for the sadness of living in Seoul. Seoul was a strange city, and the sadness I felt there lingers in my heart from time to time. Sometimes, in my dreams, I see my parents and brother struggling through the war years. I can clearly see my mother cooking in the kitchen, my father fixing the house, and my brother reading a book. Now that I’ve had children of my own, and they’ve had children of their own, I feel like I’m so far removed from those days, but I still see them in my dreams, and it makes me feel nostalgic.
On a good day, my parents pop into my mind. As I approach my 80th birthday, I’m even more filled with regret and remorse because I’ve passed my parents’ age. If they were here today, they would have been happy to celebrate with me. To my parents, I regret the years I didn’t get to spend with them.
To my deceased parents, to the ones I still miss, I honor them here today. The memories we shared together have sustained my life, and I know they will continue to do so in the days ahead. I stand here in gratitude.
Thank you.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Acknowledgements
When I started to have more time on my hands, I was initially bewildered.
After all, I’ve always lived in a hurry, always been rushed by time.
The days were longer than I thought.
I didn’t have any hobbies because I was working all the time.
When I finally had time, I had a lot of time and nothing to do.
And I started to get bored. As time went by, I had a thought.
After all the hard work I’ve put in over the years, it’s time to slow down a bit,
and really appreciate the people around me.
But then I started seeing friends.
We had time and we needed each other,
and we started talking about things we hadn’t been able to talk about.
It was friends and family that comforted me.
It was comforting to know that I had people I cared about, with whom I spent time sharing my life.
One time, I got together with a group of friends and we were talking about what we needed as we got older.
We were talking about what men and women need when they get old.
We came to the conclusion that women need money first, daughters second, good health third, friends fourth, and a steam room fifth.
For men, it was first, a wife, second, a house, third, a wife, fourth, a mom, and fifth.
When a woman gets old, she can do without her husband, but for an old man, his wife is indispensable.
We chuckled to ourselves, but it was the reality, the truth.
Even in small conversations with friends in old age.
I’m grateful and happy that I’m realizing such important life wisdom.
It’s also funny, but I can’t think of a better way to express how much older couples need their spouses.
When you’re the one on the outside and the one on the inside, it’s no wonder you feel bored and helpless.
It was my spouse who helped me get back on my feet.
He didn’t like moving, but one day he insisted that we go hiking,
I know what it’s like to be the one who insists on learning to ride a bike.
I love and appreciate all of them, even the grateful ones who secretly put small change in my wallet.
It’s those little gestures that make us who we are today.
I give all the honor of being here today to my spouse.
I am so grateful to be with you.
We’ve made up for all the time we spent away from each other in our younger years.
We know that we have many more years to live.
We hope that we can rely on each other, stay healthy, and create more happy moments
and build more happy moments.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of you for being here with us.
Your encouragement and support have meant a lot to us.
We wish you all the best and happiness in the future,
and thank you once again.
Thank you all for attending.
80th birthday greetings from the family
There is a saying, “Three days to make a decision”. I remember how I used to make resolutions and then break them in less than three days. I remember how I used to make resolutions and then break them. In my childhood, I was a kid who couldn’t make up my mind even when my parents scolded me, but even at the age of 80, I still feel like I’m still that kid in my heart.
When my great-grandson got married and my great-grandson, who is already in elementary school, came to visit me in the countryside on vacation, I realized how quickly time had passed. My great-grandson showed me his school day planner, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw it. It looked just like my own childhood, with seven different colored pencils and a day filled with gaps. I remember making those plans, too, but quickly forgetting about them as I went out to play with my friends.
Now that I think about it, I’m not so different from the person I was then and the person I am now. They say that three is as old as eighty, and I guess that’s true. I’m grateful for the family and friends who are here today, and I’m ashamed of how little I still do. There are so many things I’ve put off, things I look back on with regret and regret. I could have been more diligent in my life, more filial to my parents, and more loving in the moments I didn’t share with them. My 80 years have never been short, but looking back, it seems like they’ve only been a few moments.
I used to think of 80 years old as an adult in society, an elderly person with all the experience, but now that I’ve reached this age, I realize that I still have a lot to learn, and there are many things I want to learn. The innocence of a child’s eyes, the serenity of nature, the challenge and enthusiasm of the younger generation – I want to learn all of these things. There is no end to learning, so I want to continue my journey of learning and enlightenment, which is probably my longest journey.
Today’s day is going by like this, and tomorrow’s will still be tiring and hectic, but I tighten the reins of my life once again and make new resolutions. I wish you all good health and happiness, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming, and I wish you all the blessings in the world.
Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my family and friends for being with me.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank You
My esteemed family and friends,
Thank you for joining me here today. I am overwhelmed to receive so many congratulations and words of encouragement on my 80th birthday. As I look back on my long journey through life, I realize how precious the time I have spent with you has been, and how short it seems. I am overwhelmed to be here in front of all of you today.
“What is green?” and ”What is withered?”
I think these questions are relevant to our lives. Green isn’t just a color, it’s the vibrancy of our lives, and withering is the process of transforming into something new, rather than annihilation. I’ve been green many times in my life, and I’ve also been withered many times, and in retrospect, every one of those moments was a meaningful process.
More than 2,500 years ago, as a young man of twenty-nine, Gautama Siddhartha left everything behind in search of truth and enlightenment. He realized himself and became the “Buddha” and taught us to find our true selves, transcending the desires of the world to find ourselves. I still find myself reflecting on that teaching today as I reflect on my own life.
As we move deeper into November, I’m reminded that as a young man, I, too, tried to find myself on the road of wandering. Those days of solitary traveling, searching for meaning in the world, and rejoicing in my own realizations made me who I am today.
In my childhood, my parents’ generation lived through war and hunger, and it was through these experiences that we learned the value of hard work and sacrifice, which became ingrained in us and became our way of life. Other trials and tribulations, such as the Gwangju Uprising of May 18, also taught us a lot, and it’s gratifying to see that they are now being passed on to future generations as a part of history.
Time has passed quickly, but I am still a foolish person who needs to learn and be taught. Every day I read the newspaper and open a book to learn something new, but there are still many gaps that remain unfilled, and now that I’ve celebrated my 80th birthday, I intend to learn until the day I die. If I can end my life with the joy of having my curiosity about the world and my thirst for learning satisfied, there is no greater honor than that.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who have stood by my side. My life has been enriched by all of you who have watched over me all these years, and who are celebrating my 80th birthday with me today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being with me. I look forward to many more green days with you.
Thank you.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
It’s a busy day for traffic. I was worried that you would have a hard time getting here today, but I’m so glad you’re here. I hope you had a safe trip home. It’s a great pleasure to be able to sit down and talk with some of my favorite people.
In fact, even before I retired, there was one thing I had dreamed of doing for a long time. It has always been a great desire of mine to travel, to leave behind the fatigue and worries of my social life. I envisioned a time of rest and rejuvenation, and I dreamed of packing a small bag with only the essentials and leaving, and I couldn’t be happier and more grateful that I was able to fulfill that small wish.
The things I experienced along the way were indescribable: I found myself reacquainting myself with familiarity in unfamiliar landscapes, and I was reminded of memories that I had buried deep in my heart. The red glow of the sunset, the way the mountains and sea glowed in the morning light, were not just sights to behold, but paintings that had been created just for me. They stayed in my mind and comforted me long after I didn’t have a photo to capture them.
After my trip, I started reaching out to acquaintances I had neglected for a while. One by one, I remembered their voices as I called them by name, and I called them to let them know how much I missed them. To my surprise, I found out that some of the people I hadn’t spoken to in a long time had already passed away. When I heard the news, a great sense of regret and sadness washed over me, and I hesitated to delete the names and numbers that were still in my phone. They may not be with me now, but they are still alive in my memories, and they will be there for many years to come.
The memories and longing left behind by those who have gone before me are rekindled by the presence of all of you here today. Just as the journey of traveling is different from everyday partings, perhaps parting with the departed is also a journey, and their absence is more vividly pictured in my mind.
Thanks to all of you who have been with me through it all, I take so much from this moment today. The memories and stories I’ve shared with you are a source of great happiness and gratitude. To my family and friends who have stood by me through it all, and to all of you who have graced this occasion, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I wish each and every one of you a future filled with health and peace. Wherever you are, may you be happy and may you always have a meaningful day.
With gratitude.
80th birthday greetings from the family
Dear Friends, Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to make this rare step. I am overwhelmed by your warmth and sincerity.
Before I knew it, I was celebrating my 80th birthday. It’s hard to believe that time has flown by since I was a little kid in a rural mountain village and now I’m a grandfather. The years I’ve lived have been both long and short, but they’ve been precious to me. When I think back to those days of poverty and happiness, everything seems like a gift.
When I lived in a rural village, I didn’t need a clock because, as the old saying goes, “There’s no clock in the mountains,” I knew spring was coming when the flowers bloomed and fall was coming when the leaves changed colors. I miss being a child and playing in nature as the seasons changed. Now, after all these years, I feel the change of seasons with my body. I wake up in the morning and I can pretty much guess what time it is. I feel like I’ve been able to be so healthy because I’ve been around nature, and I couldn’t be more blessed.
Nowadays, parks and playgrounds are full of life. When I go for a walk, I see people exercising, people stretching, and children running around, and I often find myself thinking about many things. I realize that Korea has come a long way, and young people are now working hard to become the force responsible for our future.
I didn’t exercise during the winter because it was cold, but today I feel like I want to get out in the warm sunshine and move my body. When I see children running around on the playground, I still want to be as healthy and energetic as they are.
Thank you again for joining us today. I wish you all the best, and thank you for your continued support.
80th Birthday Greeting Family Representative Thank you
The older I get, the more ceremonies I attend here and there. Mostly as an officiant, but lately I’ve been going to weddings a lot, which is probably because the wedding season is upon us. I attended a wedding and was there from the beginning to the end of the ceremony, blessing the new couple, and even the weather seemed to celebrate it, as the bride and groom were so beautiful together that even the cherry blossoms on the street were envious.
Seeing the bride and groom soaked in happiness warmed my heart. It also reminded me of my wife and I’s wedding, which was many years ago. It was a long time ago, but I still remember the feeling and the look of the bride. We were so young and didn’t know the full extent of the years ahead of us, but I still remember the way my young, bubbly wife greeted her parents that day. Most brides get teary-eyed when greeting their parents, but I can still see them laughing and saying, “She’s so happy,” because she looked so happy.
What started out as a young marriage has turned into eight decades of daily routines that I took for granted at the time. In fact, I never imagined that we would be together this long after getting married. I never thought we’d reach that age, and I guess we’ve just been walking down the road ahead of us, leaning on each other, and being grateful for the days we have together.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to my partner for being by my side for all these years. Honestly, there have been many happy days, but there have also been moments that have been mediocre or even difficult at times. Over time and through trials and tribulations, I realized that family is a relationship, and it’s not without its conflicts, and maybe those conflicts have made our relationship stronger. But looking back, I realize that the moments when we hurt each other, like crossing a big river, are what brought us to this point.
In hindsight, I can only be grateful for my companion who has stuck with me through it all. Perhaps the greatest blessing of my life is what the officiant said at our wedding: “Rain or shine, in sickness and in health, until our gray hairs turn to grey roots.” What sounded like just nice words then, has become the story of our lives.
Today, I’m here to celebrate the 80th birthday of my beloved partner, and it’s even more special to me to share this joy with our family and close friends as we celebrate our lives together. On her 80th birthday, I wish her many more years of good health to stay by our side, and I hope that in the days to come we can laugh and talk together as much as we do now.
80th birthday greetings from the head of the family
The rain was moist this morning. When it rains, it reminds me of my old hometown and brings back memories of my childhood, walking down the street smelling the rain. Even today, I can smell that fragrant rain and feel like I’ve been transported back to that time. On days like this, I get homesick for my hometown, and maybe I’ll spend a few days thinking about my parents, who have since passed away. I’ll pull out my photo albums and reminisce about the good old days.
The hometown was a far cry from the serene landscape of today, a time of unrest and turmoil in the maelstrom of war. With the People’s Army stationed and the Allied offensive underway, rumors of American bombing raids wreaked havoc in Jinju, and in a neighboring village, a boy plowing a field was killed by a bullet fired from an American plane. It was a time when you said goodbye and turned around, and some of you never made it back. We lived in a time when we prayed for everyone’s well-being, but knew that not everyone would make it out alive.
People were ignorant and poor, but they got through each day. There was no money to go to the hospital, so children were often sick and died easily. I remember following my mother deep into the mountains and seeing many small, forgotten baby graves. As a survivor, I am very aware that I was just lucky.
When I survived and grew up and think of my sisters, I realize how hard their lives must have been. Sometimes I tell my sisters’ stories to acquaintances to ease my guilt and to remind myself to be grateful. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, their presence resonated deeply with me. My sisters always seemed like adults to me, even though one of them was only twenty-five years old. She grew up in the countryside, worked for her family from the age of seventeen, and gave every penny she could get her hands on to help support the family.
The reality of the time didn’t allow my sister the chance to wear pretty clothes once in a while, or to buy a big bottle of cosmetics instead of a finger-sized one. Her pretty dreams had to be buried under the weight of survival, and those little dreams she had to give up are buried somewhere in my heart.
Looking back now, we have all safely crossed that dark tunnel, and when I think of my parents and sisters, who have passed on to the heavens with peaceful faces, I can’t help but think of those painstaking hands. I want to express my deepest gratitude to those hands for holding us together through those difficult years. I wish I could tell you now that I had a hard time raising my younger sister, and that I could tell you the stories I couldn’t tell then. But sometimes, I regret that I didn’t tell them.
I dedicate this time and honor to my sisters. Thank you, my sisters, for being so gracious and loving, and thank you to all of my family.
80th Birthday Greetings On behalf of my family
There is something that every living thing in existence, and even lifeless inanimate objects, cannot escape: the absolute immutable law of the universe, the cycle of birth and death.
I remember pondering the meaning of death as a child, especially during my adolescence, and eventually escaping from it by running around with my friends, only to return home to find myself drawn into the question again.
As we grow older, the fear and dread of our own mortality never seems to go away. We yearn for immortality, dream of an afterlife, and desire to leave a mark on our lives, but in the face of our inevitable demise, we are all too weak. What I truly fear is not the cessation of existence per se, but rather the end of the relationships I have with my family, spouse, and friends that I cherish. The thought of the ties that bind me to them being severed makes me deeply sad.
What will it be like to say goodbye forever to the people who explain who I am and allow me to be me? I can’t fathom the implications yet, and I wonder if the sages and wise men of the past had an answer. I’ve lived half a century, and I’m still lacking in so many ways. I haven’t done much for the world, and I haven’t done much for my studies. I’ve spent my days burning wet straw, and now I’m a gray-haired old man.
I still have a lot of questions about the world, but my thoughts are not deep enough, and I can’t get to the bottom of them, so I can only hope to become a broader and deeper person. When I look at you, I am comforted that my years have not been in vain. It is because of you that I have come this far, and I sincerely thank you for your warm encouragement and concern.
80th birthday greetings from the family
It is said that everything in human affairs depends on the mind, which means that the mind can move a person’s life and determine the direction of life. This may sound like a far-fetched statement, but I think modern people are realizing the importance of the mind as more and more of my friends are looking for meditation schools to control their minds.
In fact, the power of the mind is greater than you might think. There is a saying that a disease of the mind can actually cause a disease of the body, or that a small disease can grow into a bigger disease. The common example is the vase. If you keep anger in your mind without releasing it, it will eventually build up in your body and manifest as a real illness.
Growing up in an isolated environment and strained relationships, I was acutely aware of the importance of the mind. I often felt isolated in a difficult home environment and frequent moves, and it was hard to avoid feeling despair when I was ignored by others. But I grew up with these feelings stored up inside of me, unresolved. As an adult, even in moments of contentment in my life, when I felt hopeless due to relationship or professional problems, I would often be reminded of my childhood wounds.
As we age, we all have worries: worries about our children, worries about money, worries about our health, and even fears of death. I’m at an age where it’s hard to let go of these worries, but I keep reminding myself. I remind myself that I have to be careful not to let these worries get so deep in my mind that they turn into vases.
But now I realize that we all have enough power to control our minds. I remember my poor childhood and worked hard to get out of it, and as a young man, I tried my best to get out of it. I also turned my naturally weak constitution into a healthy one through exercise and constant self-care. Looking back, I can say that these efforts were all made possible by a “positive mindset.” Now I can confidently say that the secret to my old age is also “positivity” and “learning to control my mind.
Even today, I try to keep hopelessness out of my mind and shake it off, and whenever I do, I say a mantra to myself: ‘I create my mind. I move my life.’ You don’t know how powerful this mantra is. I think it’s because of that mantra that I’m standing here in front of you in such good health. I’m going to try to make it through my eighties, and I’m going to try to invite you to my one hundred and thirties, and I’m going to push myself beyond my limits and show you something new.
Thank you all very much for being here. I wish you all good health and happiness.
80th birthday greetings
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my family and friends, and to all of you who have taken the time to join us. Your presence here today makes this day even more meaningful and heartwarming.
Human beings are restless creatures, perhaps even more so because of our finite lives. We don’t know where we’re going or what we’re working towards, and I think that’s what life is all about. I think it’s the same with the anxiety of death, which is always at the back of our minds, but as we get older, we realize that it was just a vague fear of ‘time’ that we don’t know when it will be.
As I meet more people and gain more experiences, the vague fear of the end of life becomes more natural, because I now see death as just a natural process of birth and death. There are people in this room who have influenced my life for good over the years. I feel like my heart is deeper and my horizons are broader because of you. My life is what it is today because of the time I’ve spent with you, and the warmth of your touch in every moment of my life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
As I approach my 80th birthday, I suddenly look back on the past, and I wonder if it’s because of my age that the juxtapositions, big and small, have become more frequent. However, I try to live with the hope that I can start anew rather than with anxiety. I’m realizing more and more these days how precious this age is, when we can take care of ourselves and live in anticipation of tomorrow. So I always think, if today was difficult, I can start again tomorrow, and if it didn’t work out, I can try again next year. I think that’s why I’m excited about the end of the year, because it’s a new beginning.
Today, I’m making new resolutions: starting tomorrow, I’m going to work out harder, read more books, and spend more quality time with the people I love. As the year progresses, I hope my heart grows warmer and more generous, and I won’t be disappointed if I don’t fulfill my resolutions next year, because I’ll start over again the next year. I believe we have many more days left, and many more new ones to come.
Once again, I want to thank you all for joining us, and I wish you all good health and happiness. I hope that we can always count on each other and share more time with each other in the future. Thank you.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
On the occasion of my 80th birthday, I would like to express my gratitude to all my family and friends gathered here.
I have grown accustomed to living in the city, but there will always be a place in my heart for my hometown. It is the root of my life, the place that nurtured me. In my memories, I can still see the fields and mountain trails where I played with my friends, the times we laughed and talked.
I often reminisce about the past and reminisce about my childhood with my friends, catching insects in the summer and climbing mountains in the winter. One of my favorite memories is climbing a persimmon tree with my friends and picking persimmons. We’d get stung by chestnuts and pull our hands away in surprise, but we’d also be happy when the persimmons would fall on our heads and run down our faces.
However, as children, we were more likely to pick the green persimmons for fun rather than wait for them to turn red. The unripe persimmons were sour and astringent, but we enjoyed their flavor. We would put them in jars to preserve them for a long time, or dry them to make dried persimmons, and we would share them with each other.
It warms my heart to think of my grandmother, who especially loved dried persimmons. Once, I traveled over a snowy mountain pass to deliver some to her. My friend and I drank a glass of rice wine without my parents’ knowledge and almost got caught, and I still remember the look in my grandmother’s eyes when she said, “I know what you’re thinking.” The way she smiled at us and said, “You’ve been through a lot,” when we thought we were going to be scolded, remains a cherished memory.
As I reminisce about my nostalgic childhood and the warmth of my hometown, I realize how precious it is to have moments like today, when family and friends are gathered together.
While we may not be traveling over mountains and trudging through snow like we used to, we still wish you all good health and happiness from the bottom of our hearts. May we all continue to protect, love, and be at peace with each other, just as the children in my childhood memories of picking persimmons and laughing and talking have grown up and joined us here today.
Once again, my sincere thanks to all of you for wishing me a happy 80th birthday.
80th birthday greetings from the family
Like everyone, I’ve had times when things didn’t go my way and I complained and griped.
And I’ve also dug myself into a deep hole, wondering why this is happening to me.
In each of those instances, there was only one thing my parents taught me: gratitude.
They always emphasized that if you’ve always practiced gratitude, even in the midst of difficulties, you’re grateful that things haven’t gotten worse, and that you’ll find a way to work around the problem and make things better in the end.
I also realized that the power of gratitude has a domino effect of putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and smoothing the way between people.
But practicing gratitude hasn’t always been easy.
Despite knowing its importance, it’s not always easy for me to practice it, because I’m not a perfect person.
I’m just an ordinary person, far from reaching the heights of saints like Confucius, Jesus, and Buddha.
One of the most difficult moments for me to practice gratitude was in a conflict with a boss at work who was harassing me for no reason.
Of course, it’s not hard to be grateful to people who are helpful and kind to me.
But could I extend gratitude to someone who was giving me a hard time? It seemed almost impossible.
That’s when my parents told me.
“That person who is giving you a hard time is a grateful person who is making you stronger. So you have every reason to be grateful.”
This attitude of gratitude has helped me to keep a positive outlook even in the midst of difficult situations and unhappy relationships.
It’s helped me to push through my current struggles and eventually move on to happier moments.
It seems like a small change in the way you look at the world can change so much in your life.
You don’t have to waste your emotions, and you can avoid dramatic danger and pain.
Gratitude is perhaps a nobler way of saying “thank you” than “I love you”.
I think about this today.
I wonder if I’m practicing the gratitude my parents emphasized on a daily basis.
Just this morning, I overslept, rushed out the door, missed my bus, and my first words out of my mouth were, “Oh, my luck is bad today. Why can’t anything go my way?”
Given my habit of complaining about even the smallest things, it’s not easy to reach my parents’ heights.
But I’ll try, and I’ll be more mindful and refined to do the right thing.
I wish you and your loved ones good health and happiness.
And I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for attending.
80th Birthday Greetings Family Representative Thank you
Good morning, and thank you so much for joining us today.
It looks like spring is coming. I saw spring flowers on the road today, and they were in full bloom in my hometown. It’s been a long time since war broke out in Korea, a country with a history of one people divided into North and South, and one people at war with another. It’s been more than 70 years since then, and I’m here today, celebrating my 80th birthday, and it’s very complicated.
I can’t forget the day the war broke out when I was a child. I remember my father scurrying around stacking luggage, my mother looking up at the sky with unfocused eyes, and me clutching my father’s hand in terror as a cannon went off. I was a child, and I didn’t know what or how to know about war. I didn’t know if the war was a tragic consequence of North Korea’s aggressive ambitions, or a proxy war caused by the conspiracy of the United States’ policy of containment of communism. I didn’t care, I just knew that I didn’t want to be separated from my parents and that I wanted them to be safe and together.
So much time has passed since then. I don’t know what young people today think of the war – whether they call it the “Korean War,” emphasizing North Korea’s aggression, or the “Korean War,” with the nuance that it was the South’s war. But in those years, we became a part of a story, separated from our families, and carried a haunting pain. I stayed here in South Korea, and my parents stayed over there in North Korea. I don’t know if they’re still with us today, or if they’ve passed away peacefully after all these years. Even though the world has changed so much, I feel like I’m still stuck in those days.
As I celebrate my 80th birthday today, I feel a pit in my stomach rather than joy. I think of my homeland, my parents, and my family, whom I still miss after living through the years of division. What is certain is that I am still here, celebrating my 80th birthday, and the weight of that life has brought me to this time today, hoping for more to come in the time I have left.
Time has passed, but instead of becoming clearer, my eyes have become more clouded for a number of reasons. On the one hand, as there are now more people in this land who experienced this war than those who did not, it seems to be dismissed as a distant memory, like the Imjin War. But one thing we can never ignore is that the North and the South have remained at enmity for all these years, calling each other the main enemy. Because of this, people in Korea have unknowingly lived under its influence, and those who have memories of their homeland spend every day in longing.
Today, on this joyous day, I miss my parents especially. I sincerely hope that they have been at peace for all these years, and that my hometown has remained the same, and that those of us who are left here understand the pain, the longing, and the wounds of the war, and hope that peace will come as soon as possible. We hope that the tragedy of war will never be repeated on this land again, and that the day will come when we will be reunified and everyone will be free to find their homes and reunite with their families.
I would like to thank you all once again for joining me here today, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have watched and supported me this far.
