Suk Aragon

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING YOUR AGE?
It’s relaxing now, I don’t have many worries. When you are young, life is all about work. Now I’m retired, and I stay home and do what I want to do. I enjoy life more now.

WHAT HARDSHIPS HAVE YOU ENDURED THAT YOU FEEL HAVE MADE YOU STRONGER?
I grew up very poor and dealt with an abusive father. Growing up in Korea, life was hard. It made me stronger and helped me take that step to move to The United States when I was 28 years old for a better life. Moving here made me a stronger person and more confident in who I am now.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
My greatest achievement was moving to a foreign country with my husband and two young children when I was 28. I didn’t speak English, leaving my family behind and unable to call or connect with them readily. I could not take a flight and see them because flights are so expensive. I was learning to live in a different country and enduring the prejudice from my husband’s family. I did not speak English well, and my husband’s family spoke Spanish, making it even more difficult.
But through that difficult time in life, by God’s grace, I could endure it. Faith was never important until a friend invited me to church. Going to church and learning who God was, I accepted Christ as my savior and could use the Bible as a guide for my life.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE?
My greatest extravagance is the opportunity to visit my home country, Korea, in 2024. I have not been back for almost 40 years.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
My family is my biggest treasure: my husband, daughters, and grandchildren.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING YOU HAVE CHECKED OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST?
Getting my US citizenship. I got it in 2022 and answered all the questions correctly. That was a huge accomplishment.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS?
Having my family around me is important; they make me happy.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
To get a good education and to learn how to play the piano.

DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR YOUNGER WOMEN?
Don’t focus on things that are not important. Get an education to further yourself and be independent of who you are.

WHAT IS A TRAIT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?
My hospitality and taking care of other people.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO OR FAVORITE QUOTE?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

WHAT DO YOU MOST VALUE IN YOUR FRIENDS?
I value that they have the same beliefs and that we can pray together and do Bible study together.

HOW DID YOU CHANGE OVER THE YEARS?
In my younger years, I was more temperamental and not so patient. Now, I’ve grown more patient, don’t take life so seriously, and don’t feel like I must prove myself to anyone.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I wouldn’t want to change anything about me, but I wished I had gotten an education when I was younger.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS?
I hope future generations have more trust in God, more faith, and more trust in the Lord than they do now. God tells us how to live. God gives me everything; I want that for future generations.

WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST JOY AT THIS AGE?
We moved to Wichita to be closer to my daughter and her family. I do not have any worries here; it is very peaceful, and I enjoy spending time with the grandchildren; seeing their accomplishments brings me great joy.

WHAT IS YOUR SUPERPOWER?
Prayer is my superpower. I spend a lot of time in prayer for my family. I want my children and grandchildren to live a life of gratitude and love for others and that they can do all things through Christ.

DO YOU LIKE BEING 40+?
Yes, I do. I don’t have to rush anything. When I was younger, I was busy raising a family and ensuring everybody was cared for. There was no time to focus on my wants and needs; it was about everyone else’s needs. At this age, I’m more at peace. Everybody has grown up and has their own life; now, I’m responsible for my husband and myself.

WHEN IN YOUR LIFE, SO FAR, HAVE YOU FELT MOST CONFIDENT, AND WHY?
I felt the most confident seeing that my three daughters succeeded in life. I felt confident knowing I did a good job raising my daughters to be confident in who they are; made and knowing that they still turned out fantastic despite all my weaknesses.