Another 7% of HeeJun

I received a letter in the mail from one of HeeJun’s co-workers. While reading it I was bursting with pride for HeeJun. The author described beautifully HeeJun’s character.

“…some friendships are built on a common outlook on life. People who have little in common in their personalities can still forge a friendship because they see life in the same way…Our personalities weren’t particularly alike, but we saw the world the same way. I think that is why I liked him so much. He and I viewed life so similarly, from the mundane to the profound. As for the mundane- we both loved to eat…”(This is Erica talking…HeeJun enjoyed food, especially fast food and cafeteria food. The only stipulation at our wedding, and the only thing he cared about was that he would be able to eat GOOD food at the reception. He remembers being annoyed that people were coming up to him to congratulate him and he just wanted to chow down)

“We also had similar minds for technology…I had no idea he would turn out so good at it (when he was hired). He soaked it all up like a sponge. I sincerely believe he was the sharpest technical mind in our organization. The quality that really differentiated him as a technician was his understanding of how things worked as opposed to how to do things. The best technicians genuinely understand why things happen. “

“Every lunch together would usually feature at least on classic HeeJun rant against stupidity or injustice or something else that wasn’t right with the world (Slow drivers). I always found that he had an uncannily accurate sense of what was happening in our organization. HeeJun had the unique ability to see things as they really are. In a corporate culture where we spend all of our time cheer leading, trying to convince ourselves how great we are, he never bought it. Not in a cynical way, he just had a realistic view of people’s faults and limitations. And he called people on it. Not in the way of those who draw attention to the faults of others, in an attempt to conceal their own, but in the spirit of a friend who slaps you in he face to get your attention when you’re doing something stupid. He hated that people went through life so deluded about themselves. “

“I think this was a part of his natural personality, but I have to think there was a spiritual aspect to it as well. Isn’t self deception the biggest problem with the world today? People do not realize or refuse to accept that they are “dead men walking” before God. HeeJun understood this. He understood that just as people suppress the truth about their spiritual conditions they suppress the truth about other aspects of their life. And he saw right through it. He was the ultimate realist. Yet, there was no sense of arrogance. He knew that “there but for the grace of God, go I”. His mind stripped away everything extraneous to get to the heart of the matter. The world needs more people like that.”

“It could have hindered his career…Now I wonder if he was right all along. If telling the truth, hinders ones career, then let it be hindered. It is said that good leaders always keep someone around who is willing to tell them the unvarnished truth when they are getting off track. I always thought HeeJun that he was the perfect person for that job. I hoped maybe he could be that for me as we advanced in our careers. “

“My life is enriched for having know HeeJun. He was not one of my closest friends, but he was one of my favorite people. I miss him”.