봄이 마지막 지나가는 길목에 ‘에스라사랑 걷기 잔치’에 비로소 불이 붙기 시작했습니다. 행사는 5월부터 시작했지만 진입장벽이 꽤 높아서, 여러 차례 시도는 하다가 열흘은 그냥 지나갔나 봅니다. 하루에 평균 8000보를 목표로 걸었는데 ‘헛걸음’ 한 셈입니다. 그러다가 겨우 ‘에스라사랑 걷기 잔치’에 동참해서 열심히 하반기 두 주간은 걸었습니다. 무엇보다 매일 걷는다는 것은 신체적으로 유익했습니다. 그 결과가 수치로 입증되는 당뇨인입니다. 식전혈당이 90대로 떨어지는 것을 매일 확인하기 때문입니다. 매일 산길을 걷는다는 것은 에스라성경대학원 대학교가 주는 지리적인 유익을 활용하는 특혜입니다. 대자산 산행 길은 학교 울타리를 바로 지나가고 있기 때문입니다.
지난 보름동안은 정말 하루에 만보를 가볍게 달성할 수 있었습니다. 골전도이어폰의 탁월한 성능의 도움을 받아서 클래식 음악을 들으며, 동시에 꾀꼬리와 딱따구리 등 산새들의 노래를 듣는 오디오 시스템의 가동뿐 아니라 매일, 매 주간 달라지는 산에 피는 꽃과 눈맞춤을 하는 비디오 시스템을 가동하는 것은 이 길을 걸어 본 사람만 누리는 기쁨입니다. 한 때는 조팝나무와, 이팝나무, 아카시아의 하얀 꽃이 산을 덮었는데 이제는 참싸리꽃이 길가에는 피어있고 하얀 산딸나무의 화려한 자태를 보는 기쁨이 있습니다. 작년보다 개체수가 훨씬 많아진 으아리의 하얀꽃으로 인해서 많은 감사를 창조주 하나님께 드립니다. 애기나리꽃, 붓꽃, 찔레꽃, 개망초, 백당나무, 백합나무꽃 , 어디든 보이는 애기똥풀, 고들빼기의 노란꽃들도 피어있습니다.
어느날 점심 시간에 직원들과 우연히 마주쳤습니다. 모두들 함께 점심을 먹고 산책을 다녀오는 길이었습니다. 제가 듣기로도 몇 차례 “걷자!”는 합의에 도달하고, 움직이지 않던 분까지 모든 사무실 직원들이 이제는 함께 걷기를 시작해서, 어느 목요일 저녁에 함께 식사를 하고 커피를 마시는 자리에서도, 걷기에 관련한 여러 가지 비하인드 스토리가 끊임없이 펼쳐졌습니다. 어떻게 하면 걸음 수를 더 올리는지에 관한 자연과학적인 실험결과뿐 아니라 그것이 과연 정직한 방법인지에 대한 신학적인 논의까지 토론은 끝나지 않았습니다. 다음 체리모금을 할 때는 좀 더 쉽게 진입하도록 설계가 되었으면 하는 제안과 아예 서로 격려하는 코너도 마련되어 있다면 더 좋을 것 같다는 실제적인 제안도 나왔습니다.
지금은 다만 아이디로 확인이 되는 사람끼리 카톡으로 나누는 정도이니까요^^ < 교수님, 얼른 걷기 업데이트해주세요~> <모든 게 다 부질없는 일 같아요..바득바득 1등 해 보겠다고 애쓰는 것도 그렇고, 최 선생님 따라잡으려는 것도 그렇고, 1등 상품 타보려는 생각도 그렇고.. 저는 물흐르듯 살아가겠습니다. 최 선생님, 꼬옥 정상에 서시길 기원합니다…> 이렇게 상대방을 안심시켜놓고 걸음수를 쌓아가기도 하고 ㅋㅋ 하여간 그날 카페를 나오면서 김 처장님이 요약했습니다. ‘에스라사랑 걷기 잔치’가 우리를 대동단결(大同團結)시켰다고요^^ 더 이상 ‘난 바빠!’라고 하며 자신을 설득하지 말고, 눈을 들어 주위를 둘러보면, 온통 싱그러운 자연이 가득합니다. 햇살도, 나무도, 꽃잎들도 여러분의 걷기를 격려합니다. 하늘 아버지께서 이처럼 마음을 쓰셔서 지면을 새롭게, 아름답게 가꾸시며, 여러분의 발걸음을 기다리고 있습니다 (추신: ‘에스라사랑 걷기 잔치’는 6월말까지로 연장되었습니다).
As spring draws to its close, the 'Love Ezra Walking Festival' has finally caught fire. Although the event began in early May, the initial barrier to entry was quite high, and after several trial attempts, about ten days simply slipped by. I had aimed for an average of 8,000 steps a day, but in a sense, those were 'wasted steps' since they were unregistered. Eventually, I managed to join the 'Love Ezra Walking Festival' in earnest and spent the last two weeks walking diligently. Above all, walking daily brought wonderful physical benefits. As someone managing diabetes, the results were clearly proven in the numbers—every morning, I could see my fasting blood sugar drop into the 90s. Walking the mountain trails daily is a distinct privilege that makes the most of the geographical blessings of Ezra Bible Graduate University. The hiking trail along Mount Daeja runs right past the school fence.
Over the past fortnight, achieving 10,000 steps a day became almost effortless. With the help of excellent bone-conduction earphones, I could listen to classical music while simultaneously tuning into the melodious songs of mountain birds like orioles and woodpeckers. Operating this 'audio system' while engaging a 'visual system' that makes direct eye contact with the mountain blossoms blooming and changing day by day, week by week, is a pure delight known only to those who walk this path. At one point, the white blooms of spiraea, fringe trees, and black locust covered the hillside; now, bush clover lines the trails, and the magnificent form of white dogwoods brings sheer joy. Seeing the white flowers of virgin's bower, far more abundant than last year, fills my heart with deep gratitude to God the Creator. Fairy bells, irises, wild roses, fleabane, cranberry bush viburnums, tulip tree blossoms, ever-present celandine, and the cheerful yellow flowers of Korean lettuce also grace the path.
One day during lunchtime, I happened to run into some of our staff members. They were all returning from a walk together after sharing lunch. I had heard that after agreeing several times to "let's walk!", even those who previously stayed sedentary had joined in, so that all office staff members were now walking together. When we gathered for dinner and coffee on a Thursday evening, endless behind-the-scenes stories about walking naturally unfolded. The discussions never ceased—from natural-scientific experiments on how to maximize step counts, to theological debates on whether such methods were truly honest and fair! Practical suggestions were also offered, such as making the sign-up process easier for the next Cherry donation drive, or creating a dedicated corner where participants could cheer each other on.
For now, we simply encourage one another via KakaoTalk among those whose usernames we recognize: <Professor, please update your step count soon!> or <It all feels so vain... straining so hard to take first place, trying to chase down Mr. Choi, dreaming of winning the top prize... I'm just going to go with the flow. Mr. Choi, I truly pray you make it to the summit!> Some will playfully put others off their guard like this while quietly racking up their own step count! haha. In any case, as we walked out of the café that evening, Dean Kim summed it up beautifully: the 'Love Ezra Walking Festival' has brought us into great and harmonious unity (大同團結). Let us no longer persuade ourselves by saying, "I'm too busy." When we lift our eyes and look around, fresh and vibrant nature surrounds us everywhere. The sunshine, the trees, and the petals are all cheering on your steps. Our Heavenly Father has taken such tender care to renew and beautify the earth, and He is waiting for your footsteps. (P.S. The 'Love Ezra Walking Festival' has been extended until the end of June).
Net toe die lente sy laaste tree gee, het die 'Liefde vir Ezra-stapfees' uiteindelik behoorlik vlamgevat. Die fees het reeds in Mei begin, maar aangesien die drempel om aan te sluit nogal hoog was, het sowat tien dae sommer verbygegaan na 'n paar mislukte pogings. Ek het daagliks na gemiddeld 8 000 treë gemik, maar dit was as ’t ware 'vergeefse treë' omdat dit nie geregistreer is nie. Uiteindelik het ek daarin geslaag om by die fees aan te sluit en het ek die laaste twee weke ywerig begin stap. Bowenal was die daaglikse stap liggaamlik baie voordelig. As diabeet word die vrug daarvan duidelik deur syfers bewys, want ek kon elke dag sien hoe my vastende bloedsuiker tot in die 90's daal. Om daagliks op die bergpaadjies te stap, is 'n voorreg wat ten volle gebruik maak van die geografiese ligging van Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit. Die staproete van Daeja-berg loop immers reg langs die skoolheining verby.
Gedurende die afgelope twee weke kon ek waarlik met gemak tienduisend treë per dag bereik. Danksy die uitstekende gehalte van beengeleiding-oorfone kon ek na klassieke musiek luister terwyl ek terselfdertyd die sang van bergvoëls soos wielewale en spegte kon geniet. Om hierdie 'oudiostelsel' te benut terwyl 'n mens die 'videostelsel' aanskakel—om oogkontak te maak met die veldblomme wat elke dag en elke week op die berg verander—is 'n vreugde wat slegs geken word deur diegene wat self hierdie pad stap. Op 'n tyd was die berg oortrek met die wit bloeisels van bruidsruiker, sneeublomme en akasiabome; nou blom die bosklawer langs die pad en is dit 'n genot om die pragtige wit bloeisels van die kornoeliebome te aanskou. Vir die wit blomme van die bosranke, wat vanjaar baie weliger as verlede jaar blom, bring ek innige dank aan God die Skepper. Feëklokkes, irisse, wilde rose, skraalhans, bosvlier, tulpeboomblomme, die alomteenwoordige stinkkruid en die geel blommetjies van veldslaai versier eweneens die paadjie.
Op 'n dag het ek tydens etensuur toevallig die personeel raakgeloop. Hulle was almal op pad terug van 'n stappie nadat hulle saam middagete geniet het. Ek het verneem dat hulle al 'n paar keer ooreengekom het om te sê: "Kom ons stap!" Selfs diegene wat vroeër min beweeg het, het nou saam met al die kantoorwerkers begin stap. Toe ons op 'n Donderdagaand saam geëet en koffie gedrink het, het die agter-die-skerms-stories oor die stapperystorie sonder ophou na vore gekom. Die besprekings wou net nie einde kry nie—van natuurwetenskaplike eksperimente oor hoe om 'n mens se treë die vinnigste te vermeerder, tot teologiese debatte oor of sulke metodes werklik eerlik en opreg is! Praktiese voorstelle is ook geopper, soos dat die aansluitingsproses met die volgende Cherry-fondsinsameling makliker gemaak moet word, en dat 'n hoekie ingerig behoort te word waar deelnemers mekaar kan bemoedig.
Op die oomblik deel ons maar net boodskappe via KakaoTalk tussen diegene wie se gebruikersname ons herken: <Professor, werk tog asseblief u treë gou by!> of <Alles voel so tevergeefs... om so hard te spook om eerste te kom, om mnr. Choi te probeer inhaal, en om te droom van die eersteprys... Ek gaan maar net rustig met die stroom saamvloei. Mnr. Choi, ek bid regtig dat u die bopunt sal bereik!> Só sus hulle mekaar aan die slaap terwyl hulle terselfdertyd stilletjies hul eie treë opbou! haha. Nietemin, toe ons daardie aand by die kafee uitstap, het dekaan Kim dit mooi opgesom: die 'Liefde vir Ezra-stapfees' het ons in groot harmonie en eenheid saamgesnoer (大同團結). Laat ons nie meer onsself wysmaak met die verskoning: "Ek is te besig nie." Slaan liewer u oë op en kyk rond—die ganse skepping bruis van vars lewe. Die sonskyn, die bome en die blomblare spoor almal u voete aan. Ons hemelse Vader het met soveel sorg die aarde nuut en beeldskoon gemaak, en Hy wag op u voetstappe. (N.S. Die 'Liefde vir Ezra-stapfees' is verleng tot einde Junie).