Hydrangeas have bloomed in the park near my home.

Hydrangea (紫陽花, scientific name: Hydrangea macrophylla) is a flower widely loved for ornamental purposes. It blooms during the rainy season in June, in East Asian countries such as Korea and Japan.
It may seem modest compared to other flowers, but the clustered beauty it creates is unmatched. While walking, your eyes naturally fall on the hydrangeas. Then I noticed the stems. Hydrangeas have unusually fragile stems for the size and weight of their blooms. These days, the rainy season is accompanied by stronger winds than before. More rain is coming soon. Will they be okay in the storm? I felt a slight concern.

The next morning, after the rain had stopped, I passed by the hydrangeas again. Thankfully, the flowers were still in full bloom.
Just as I was about to dismiss my worry, I spotted a drooping hydrangea (seen at the lower left of the photo). My concern had come true—it was wilting under the weight.
If a stem bears a flower heavier than it can support, it’s only a matter of time before it gives out. Suddenly, a thought came to me: “This hydrangea is telling the story of a human life.”

When people wear clothes beyond what they can carry, they trip on the hem and fall. We often struggle to obtain things beyond our means. Some may acquire them through luck or shortcuts. But don’t envy or resent them too much—sooner or later, they’ll stumble over their own excess.
As the saying goes, a stone from another mountain can also be useful. When we lack ability, we must wait until we are ready. And when something beyond our ability comes to us, we must have the courage to decline. Otherwise, we may end up the same way.

History gives us many such lessons. A well-known case is Kim Ja-jeom during the reign of King Injo in Joseon. He rose to the highest office of Chief State Councillor, but was eventually beheaded. He had worn robes far beyond his ability through dishonest means. History remembers him clearly and leaves a warning for future generations. What we must pay attention to is that his name lived on—infamously—even after death. We don’t need to look far back. Even today, such cases are everywhere. If you ask, “What cases?”—perhaps it’s time to reflect whether you’ve been unwilling or unable to see them.

The hydrangea collapsed under the weight of its own bloom, yet brought happiness to those who saw it. That is the beauty of self-sacrifice.
And how about people? We take away even the happiness of others.

That day, I saw the hydrangea in a new light.