Play Your Friends Like You Play Your Cards

Dear Soo-mi,

I showed your letter to my friends today.
They laughed so hard, they nearly dropped their cards.
You’ve become something of a legend around here—“the girl who jumped faster than war.”

But what made me happiest wasn’t the skipping.
It was your voice, so full of life.
Like a spring morning that doesn’t ask for permission.

Let me tell you something, my little whirlwind:
I’ve known these men for over sixty years.
We’ve worked the same soil, seen the same winters, buried and remembered more than I can count.
And still—every week, we meet here, play a few rounds, trade the same old jokes.
It’s nothing fancy.
But it keeps something alive in us.

Friendship is like a good hand in cards.
It doesn’t always look impressive,
but when played right,
it carries you through.

Hold on to the people who laugh with you.
Hold on to the ones who don’t care whether you win or fall flat on your face.
They’ll be there long after the applause is gone.

And who knows—
maybe one day, you’ll sit at a table like this,
with stories to tell,
and someone to listen.

Until then,
rest your legs,
and remember:
In life, it’s not always the fastest who win.
Sometimes, it’s the ones who stay at the table the longest.

With love and a winning hand,

Grandpa Seok-chul