Description May you believe in the strength hidden within you, and take each step forward with courage… May you remember, in every moment, that you are the master of your own life… To the son setting off toward new choices and challenges, and to every child taking their very first step into the world—this book is offered with love, encouragement, and heartfelt support. "Wherever your journey takes you, Mom will be there with you in spirit." As a mother watches her child walk away alone for the first time, her heart overflows with words she cannot bring herself to say aloud. She worries that all her concerns, warnings, and wishes might become chains that hold her child back, or a burden too heavy to carry. But knowing that life's journey is not always a warm, sunny spring day, she swallows those words and quietly sends her child off. The child calls out a cheerful "I'm off!" and steps out the door—only to feel small and uncertain in the face of this unfamiliar new world. And so the mother sends her silent encouragement: "At first, everything may feel strange. Unfamiliar sights might make your heart shrink a little. That happens to everyone at first. When it does, look up at the sky—Mom will be looking at that same sky, too." She also makes sure to leave room for her child to step back if needed: "There may be times you just want to come home. And that's okay—you can always come back." But she doesn't simply indulge every whim, either: "Still, there are some views you can only see if you hold on a little longer. I hope you won't miss them." Her words are like a spring breeze, gently pushing her child forward. She also frees her child from the pressure of comparing paces with others: "It's all right to take the long way. There's no need to rush. Some things can only be seen when you go slowly. If you find a view that speaks to your heart, feel free to rest there a while." And she reminds her child never to forget that they never walked alone—not for a single moment. Along every winding turn of the road already traveled, and every road still ahead, there have been people who lent a hand, known or unknown, and there will be more still. That is why her final words are: "Remember—together, we can go farther. Together, we can go all the way to the end." "Cheering on my miracle, and all that lies ahead for you…" Exactly ten years ago, author Choi Sook-hee gave the world 'You Are a Miracle,' a heartfelt confession from a mother to her son—the greatest gift of her life—and to every child in the world. In that story, the mother's tender confession, "The fact that you are my child, that is the miracle," was met with the boy's shy reply: "But Mom, you're the one who made that miracle." That little boy has since grown into an adult. 'To You, Setting Off on a Journey' begins right where 'You Are a Miracle' left off. While the earlier book looked back with gratitude on every moment shared before sending a child out into the world, this new book beautifully captures a mother's worries, hopes, and heartfelt wishes for all that her child will face once they step outside. In this book, author Choi Sook-hee transforms the countless things mothers wish they could say—but rarely do—into warm, gentle words for children to hear: words like spring sunlight lighting the path ahead, and words like a spring breeze softly nudging a child onward. The 'mother's words' in this book are also the very words the author herself longed to hear at each turning point in her own life—words that, had someone spoken them to her back then, might have made her feet, her shoulders, her heart feel just a little lighter. She has gathered them with great care, hoping they will not sound like nagging, but like the encouragement and cheer of someone who has walked the road a little ahead. Just as the author hopes, may this book reach every child taking their first steps into a new world, carrying with it warm encouragement and heartfelt support.