I had to do a follow up to the piece I wrote on Sung Bong Choi which was received so very well.  So many people dropped me email to let me know how moved  and touched they were by the story.

One thing that stuck in my mind was the actual translation of the song and me being me, I searched around online until i found an actual translation. The song he sings, entitled:

Nella Fantasia is actually written and sung in Italian. In the course of looking up the lyrics (which I found) I also found his final performance on the talent show that brought his name and talents to the world.  I am including the lyrics in full, which you can now listen to the song and understand and probably cry your eyes out again, as I did.  For those of you reading this who do not know the entire story – I explain more in the first post There But For The Grace  . I would add though that in the course of  finding out more about this wonderfully talented young man including his last performance on the You’ve Got Talent (Korea) show,  it was mentioned in one of the  numerous articles about him that  he did not know what his name was until he was 14. I read that and think of all the kids here berating their parents for $200 sneakers and name brand gear. Who will unashamedly point out how hard their lives are or would be if they are not able to obtain the Jordans, or the other expensive name brand gear that their ‘parents’ almost kill themselves to try and provide for them.  They think their lives are hard because they can’t BUY the latest thing, because their friends all are wearing the latest designer that they can’t possibly do any less….

My question to them is what would you do in a life where you didn’t even know what your name was? Where you didn’t have parents and you had to hustle to survive on the streets as a CHILD and I am talking about a five year old. Count your blessings, and rethink your priorities before it is too late. This time of year it is all too common and too easy to forget what is REALLY important.  Here’s a reminder.

Nella Fantasia

In my fantasy I see a just world
Where everyone lives in peace and honesty
I dream of souls that are always free
Like a cloud that floats
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul

In my fantasy I see a bright world
Where each night there is less darkness
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the cloud that floats
Full of humanity

In my fantasy exists a warm wind
That breathes into the city, like a friend
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the cloud that floats
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul

 I double dog dare you to  listen to him sing while reading the lyrics and not shed ONE single tear.