hoejin’s

걸어서 약 20 분 거리에 아침 운동을 다닌 'Johnny Handerson Park' 가 있다. 공원 입구에  'Our Wall of Freedom' 과 'Huey Helicopter'  이라는 두 개의 Memorial 이 있다. 'Huey Helicopter' 는 월남전에서 맹활약을 보인 헬기로, 백마사단에도 지휘관전용 헬기가 'UH-1H' 이었는데 바로 이 종이다.

김영선 사단장이 움직일 때마다 혹은 전병규 장군이나 그 후에 조주태 장군(작전부)이 연대순시를 갈 때마다 비서실을 통해 대기시켜 늘 포사령관과 같이 탑승했던 것을 기억한다. 우리는 흔히 'CG기' 라고 불렀었다.

바로 그 헬기가 지금 당장이라도 작전지역으로 날아갈 것 같은 높은 자세로 공원 앞에 세워져 있다. 그리고 주위는 원형으로 붉은 장미정원이 아담하게 조성되어 있고, 헬기의 군사행동으로 인해 사망한 조종사들(지역) 이름이 가즈런히 장미를 따라 바닥에 새겨져 있다. 그들이 흘린 희생이라도 상징하듯, 아주 붉은 장미가. 

그런대 바닥에 이름 없는 '빈 이름판'이 여러 개 더 많이 만들어져 있는 것이 이상했다. 앞으로 희생 할 수도 있을 그들을 염두에 두고 미리 만들어 놓은 것이다. 난 아직 미국을 잘 알지 못한다.

'Our Wall of Freedom' 은 1,2차 세계대전, 한국과 베트남 전, 사막의 폭풍(걸프전)과 이라크전에서 희생한 전사자들의 이름들이 새겨있다. 물론 그 지역출신들이다. 그런데 그 세개의 벽 중 두 개의 벽은 이미 거의 채워져 있지만, 남은 하나의 벽은 이렇게 빈 벽으로 남아 있다.

여기 작은 마을, 엔터프라이즈에서 마주친 '빈 이름판'과 '빈 벽'은 누군가 더 큰 부름에 복종함으로 채워질 '희생자'들의 몫이기에 그냥 스칠 수 없었다. 자국민, 혹은 가 본 적도 만난 적도 없는 타국민의 생명과 자유를 수호하기 위한 조국의 명령 앞에 서슴없이 달려갈 그들에게 머리 숙여 '미래의 경의'를 표한다. 

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."(John 12:25)

* 아침 운동을 마치고 잔디에 앉아 휴식하고 있는 아내, 그 뒤로 'Huey Helicopter".

* 이른 아침인데도 그들을 기억, 추모하는 이들이 있어 가슴이 뭉클했다.

Prejean

“Three weeks ago I was given a politically-charged question with a hidden personal agenda.  I answered my question honestly and sincerely from my heart. 
I was very careful to articulate in saying that I did not want to offend anybody, and that this is how I was raised and that this is what I believe a marriage should be; between one　 man and one　 woman. I was given a question, asking for my opinion and I stated my honest belief.  Not onl　y do I hold this belief, but as Mr. Trump said, the President of the United States, the Secretary of State and many Americans agree with me in this belief.  Immediately after the pageant, Judge  #8 [Perez Hilton] began a cultural firestorm in the media.  It went national as he was trying to be self-promoting and hateful.

“While I have remained silent since, I am honored to be here today to finally let my voice be heard and address the hateful attacks, despicable rumors and false allegations I have had [leveled at me] within the last three weeks.  To be standing here today on behalf of the great state of California and the greatest country in the world, is by the grace of God.  Being in the middle of a media firestorm is not something that I had planned or signed up for.  But the days since have taught me to stand up for what you believe in, regardless of the consequences, personal attacks or disagreements.

“I am a strong woman.  And because of that I am able to move forward and be the best Miss California, USA, that I can be.  I am excited to fulfill my duties and continue serving the great state of California.  Let me be clear:  I am not an activist or anything, nor do I have a personal agenda.  I was thrown into this firestorm from the time I was first asked the question ons　tage.  I have become an advocate for the importance of not redefining marriage, based upon my own upbringing and beliefs.  While I am not the most vocal proponent of traditional marriage, it appears from my singular response, I am the most visible.  I am proud  to be an American.  I am proud of the freedoms we enjoy because of the brave men and women serving this great country and who have served.  My grandfather served under General Patton during WWII and is someone I admire greatly.  He never spoke about the Battle of the Bulge that he participated in as a rifleman, or the honorary medals he earned because of his bravery.  But he did speak about the freedoms he fought for and he taught me to never back down and to never let anyone take those freedoms away from you.  On April 19th, on that stage, I exercised my freedom of speech.  And I was punished for doing so.  This should not happen in America.  It undermines the Constitutional rights for which my grandfather fought for.”

(A). The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.　

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.　

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core

 / Yeats, William Butler

(B). 'Isle of Innisfree'

I've met some folks who say that I'm a dreamer,
And I've no doubt there's truth in what they say,
But sure a body's bound to be a dreamer
When all the things he loves are far away.

And precious things are dreams unto an exile
They take him o'er the land across the sea,
Especially when it happens he's an exile
From that dear lovely Isle of Innisfree.

And when the moonlight peeps across the roof-tops
Of this great city, wondrous tho' it be,
I scarcely feel it's wonder or it's laughter
I'm onc　e again back home in Innisfree.

I wander o'er green hills thro' dreamy valleys
And find a peace no other land could know,
I hear the birds make music fit for angels
And watch the rivers laughing as they flow.

And then into a humble shack I wander
My dear old home, and tenderly behold,
The folks I love around the turf fire gathered
On bended knees their rosary is told.

But dreams don't last tho' dreams are not forgotten
And soon I'm back to stern reality,
But tho' they paved the footways here with gold dust
I still would choose the Isle of Innisfree.

2007공동체 순례 083

The guest house / Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently swep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

* Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207 - 1273),
13th century poet, muslim jurist, theologian and sufi mystic.

Jinhae Cherry Festival

To read about the life of Jesus is to read of a life filled with activity. His public
ministry began with His baptism. Then 40 days of solitude in the wilderness
immediately followed. After that, His was a full schedule.

Two interesting observations can be made about the pace of Jesus' ministry.
One　is that He never hurried anywhere. Jesus was never in a rush. His purpose
was so clear that other things were not allowed to put him in a rush.

The other is that He consistently found the time and the quiet to pray.
A healthy prayer life needs those two things: time and quiet.

How can you have a healthy prayer life without taking time to pray? You can't. Some
praying we do "on the run." It may be that we pray while driving or while working arou
nd the house. Still, we need quality prayer time, undistracted by any other activities.

The other need is for quiet. Finding a time and place where you are undistracted is
vital to a healthy prayer life. For some, those times and places are easy to find.
For others, it is a challenge.

Jesus set the example. He took time and found a quiet place to pray. Will you?
(Faithwalk)

Daffodils,eng.

수선화에게」/ 정호승 시

살아간다는 것은 외로움을 견디는 일이다
공연히 오지 않는 전화를 기다리지 마라

눈이 오면 눈길을 걸어가고
비가 오면 빗길을 걸어가라

갈대숲에서 가슴 검은 도요새도 너를 보고 있다
가끔은 하느님도 외로워서 눈물을 흘리신다

새들이 나뭇가지에 앉아 있는 것도 외로움 때문이고
네가 물가에 앉아있는 것도 외로움 때문이다

산 그림자도 외로워서 하루에 한 번씩 마을로 내려온다
종소리도 외로워서 울려퍼진다