눈덮히고 찬바람이 기승을 부리던 시카고에서 봄날 같은 따뜻한 날씨의 샌프란시스코로 온지 내일이면 꼭 일주일이 됩니다. 캐나다의 토론토, 킹스턴, 오타와에서 시작한 겨울왕국의 영역은 국경을 넘어서 시카고까지 장악하고 있었습니다. 열흘간의 겨울왕국의 지배아래 있다가, 그것도 심한 기침감기로 고생하다가, 따뜻한 샌프란시스코로 오니, 이번만큼 아들이 따뜻한 곳에 산다는 것이 고마울 수가 없었습니다. 정확하게는 샌 라몬에 살고 있지만, 샌프란시스코라고 말하는 편이 통하기가 쉬울 것입니다. 하여간 이 동네에 온 후로는 점심 식사후 1시간 내외로 뒷 동산을 걷는 것이 중요한 일과로 자리잡았습니다.
줄여서 당원이라고도 하는 당뇨인으로서는 걷는 일을 하루 한 차례만 할 수는 없습니다. 시간이 나는대로 운동을 해야 하니, 아침을 먹고도 걷습니다. 보통은 실내에서 걷습니다. 보폭을 넓게 하고 얼굴에 바람이 스친다는 느낌이 들만큼 빠르게 걷되 목표는 1시간, 걸음 수로는 6천보를 넘기려고 합니다. 고양이나 울산 집에서는 왕복을 걸어야 25걸음 정도인데, 여긴 1층 공간만 걸어도 한 바퀴를 돌면 대충 백보를 만들 수 있습니다. 그 시간에는 다른 가족들과 서로 부딪칠 일도 없습니다. 우린 새벽같이 일어나서 움직이니 2층에 있는 나머지 식구들은 내려오지 않기 때문입니다. 중학생인 손자가 이 집에서는 일찍 일어나는 <새>처럼 제일 먼저 나타납니다. 학교에 가야 하니까요^^
샌프란시스코가 지내기 좋은 이유는 따뜻한 기후 때문에 야외운동이 쉬울 뿐 아니라 실내도 넓고 조용한 것이 전부가 아닙니다. 글을 읽거나 쓰면서 하루를 보내다 보면 며느리와 시어머니가 도란도란 이야기를 나누는 모습을 자주 보기 때문입니다. 이 고부관계는 동서고금을 막론하고 쉬운 관계가 아닙니다만 우리 집의 자랑스런 전통은 서로 사랑하는 고부들입니다. 어머니는 할머니가 돌아가신 후 1년이 넘도록 ‘우리 어머니 어디가면 한 번 만나뵐 수 있을까’ 했다니 말입니다. 아내도 어머니가 돌아가시니, 아들 둘도 결혼해서 잘 살고 있으니 어머니 따라 천국가고 싶다고 해서 제가 깜짝 놀랐습니다. 그럼 내 신세가 말이 아니거든요^^ 아내와 두 며느리들의 화목한 모습을 보는 것은 하나님이 노년에 제게 주신 큰 선물입니다.
게다가 오늘 1월 21일은 저희가 결혼한지 50주년이 되는 날입니다. 그리하여 여기 저기서 축하인사를 받고 있습니다. “Happy Golden Anniversary!! 축하드립니다~ 더 복된 날 보내세요~~” “목사님 사모님 결혼 50주년 (금혼)을 축하드립니다 건강하시고 늘 사랑의 웃음꽃이 만발하길 빕니다♡” “목사님^^ 두 아들의 가정과 함께 즐겁고 행복한 시간 보내고 계시지요? 집회 잘 섬기셨으리라 생각합니다. 오늘 결혼기념일이던데요. 두 분이 계셔서 얼마나 감사하고 늘 든든한지요. 두 분, 늘 강건하시고, 나머지 일정 위에 주님 주시는 기쁨들이 가득하시길 기도합니다. 따뜻한 봄날에 인사드리겠습니다~~”
“목사님 사모님~오늘 금혼식 맞이하심을 축하 또 축하드립니다~(축하)(축하) 긴 세월 변함없이 서로에게 가장 소중한 사람으로 서 계실 뿐 아니라, 여러 사람들을 영적으로 또 육적으로 섬겨오심에 존경과 감사를 보냅니다!! 소중한 은석이 은수 가족들 그리고 멋진 친구들과 함께 하시는 시간들이 쉼과 격려와 은혜의 시간 되길 기도합니다. 이제 얼마 남지 않은 시간들도 즐거움 가득 감사 충만으로 보내시길 바랍니다. 다시 한번 축하와 축복을 듬뿍 담아 드리며, Happy and Blessed Golden Wedding~!!”
Tomorrow marks exactly one week since we arrived in mild, spring-like San Francisco from Chicago, where snow blanketed the ground and bitter winds raged. The frozen realm that began in Canada's Toronto, Kingston, and Ottawa had stretched across the border all the way into Chicago. After enduring ten days under the icy grip of that winter kingdom—further distressed by a terrible coughing cold—coming to warm San Francisco made me never feel more grateful that our son lives in such a gentle climate. To be exact, he lives in San Ramon, but saying San Francisco makes it easier for people to recognize. In any case, since arriving here, taking a stroll of about an hour through the hills out back after lunch has become an essential part of my daily routine.
As someone living with diabetes, walking just once a day simply will not do. I need to exercise whenever time allows, so I walk again after breakfast. Usually, I do this indoors. Taking wide strides and walking fast enough to feel a gentle breeze brush against my face, my goal is to walk for one hour and surpass 6,000 steps. Back at our house in Goyang or Ulsan, walking back and forth yields only about 25 steps, but here on the first floor alone, just doing one circuit gives roughly a hundred steps. During that hour, there is no chance of bumping into other family members. Since we rise and begin our day at the crack of dawn, the rest of the family upstairs has not yet come down. Our middle-school grandson is usually the first to appear, like an early bird in this household, because he has to get ready for school. ^^
Yet what makes San Francisco such a delightful place to stay is not merely the mild weather that makes outdoor exercise effortless, nor the spacious and quiet interior. As I spend the day reading and writing, I often catch glimpses of my daughter-in-law and my wife conversing intimately and warmly. Across all eras and cultures, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has rarely been an easy one, but our family’s proud tradition is that our mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law genuinely love one another. After my grandmother passed away, for over a year my own mother would say, "Where could I go just to see my mother-in-law one more time?" And when my mother passed away, seeing that our two sons were married and doing well, my wife startled me by saying that she wanted to follow Mother straight to heaven. If she did that, what would become of me? ^^ Seeing the harmony between my wife and our two daughters-in-law is truly one of the greatest gifts God has bestowed upon my later years.
Moreover, today, January 21st, marks our 50th wedding anniversary. Because of this, warm congratulations have been pouring in from all around. “Happy Golden Anniversary!! Congratulations~ May your days be filled with even greater blessings~~” “Pastor and Mrs. Jung, congratulations on your 50th golden wedding anniversary! May you remain in good health and may joyful smiles of love bloom endlessly in your lives. ♡” “Pastor ^^ Are you having a wonderful and joyous time with the families of your two sons? I trust your ministry during the retreat went wonderfully well. I heard today is your wedding anniversary. We are so grateful and reassured to have you both with us. May you both always stay strong and healthy, and may the Lord fill the rest of your itinerary with abundant joy. We look forward to greeting you on a warm spring day~~”
“Pastor and Mrs. Jung~ Heartiest congratulations on celebrating your Golden Wedding Anniversary today! (Congratulations)(Congratulations) For all these long years, you have stood steadfastly by each other as the most precious companion, while faithfully serving so many souls both spiritually and physically. We offer you our deepest respect and gratitude!! We pray that the time you spend with precious Unsuk and Unsoo’s families and wonderful friends will be filled with rest, encouragement, and grace. May the remaining days of your trip also overflow with joy and thanksgiving. Once again, sending you our warmest congratulations and abundant blessings: Happy and Blessed Golden Wedding~!!”
Môre is dit presies 'n week sedert ons vanuit die sneeubedekte, ysige Chicago na die lenteagtige, matige weer van San Francisco gekom het. Die winterryk wat in Kanada se Toronto, Kingston en Ottawa begin het, het oor die grens gestrek en Chicago heeltemal ingeneem. Nadat ons tien dae lank onder die heerskappy van daardie winterryk deurgebring het—en boonop erg gesukkel het met 'n hewige hoes en verkoue—het die koms na die warm San Francisco my nog nooit so dankbaar gemaak dat ons seun in so 'n behaaglike klimaat woon nie. Om presies te wees, woon hy in San Ramon, maar San Francisco klink net meer bekend vir die meeste mense. Hoe dit ook al sy, sedert ons hier aangekom het, het 'n wandeling van ongeveer 'n uur ná middagete deur die heuwels agter die huis 'n belangrike deel van my daaglikse roetine geword.
As iemand wat met diabetes saamleef, kan ek nie net een keer per dag stap nie. Ek moet oefen wanneer die geleentheid hom voordoen, daarom stap ek ook weer ná ontbyt. Meestal doen ek dit binnenshuis. Ek stap met wye treë en vinnig genoeg sodat ek 'n briesie teen my gesig voel, met die doel om 'n uur lank te stap en die mikpunt van 6 000 treë te oortref. By ons huis in Goyang of Ulsan lewer 'n heen-en-weer-wandeling skaars 25 treë op, maar hier op die grondvloer alleen kan 'n mens met net een rondte ongeveer honderd treë aanteken. Tydens daardie uur loop ek ook niemand in die rede nie. Omdat ons vroeg met dagbreek opstaan en begin beweeg, het die res van die gesin bo nog nie afgedaal nie. Ons kleinseun op hoërskool is soos 'n vroeë voëltjie die eerste wat te voorskyn kom, want hy moet skool toe gaan. ^^
Wat San Francisco egter so 'n heerlike blyplek maak, is nie net die matige klimaat wat buitelugoefening vergemaklik nie, en ook nie net die ruim en stil binneruimtes nie. Terwyl ek die dag deurbring met lees en skryf, sien ek gereeld hoe skoondogter en skoonmoeder gemoedelik en innig sit en gesels. Hierdie skoonmoeder-skoondogter-verhouding is van oudsher nêrens 'n maklike een nie, maar ons gesin se trotse tradisie is dat ons skoonmoeders en skoondogters mekaar werklik liefhet. Ná my ouma se heengaan het my eie ma vir langer as 'n jaar lank gesê: "Waar kan ek tog heengaan om my skoonmoeder net nog een keer te sien?" En toe my ma gesterf het en my vrou sien dat ons twee seuns getroud is en goed vaar, het sy my laat skrik deur te sê sy wil ma hemel toe volg. As sy dít sou doen, wat sou dan van my word? ^^ Om die harmonie tussen my vrou en ons twee skoondogters te aanskou, is waarlik een van die grootste geskenke wat God my op my oudag gegee het.
Boonop is dit vandag, 21 Januarie, ons 50ste huweliksherdenking. Daarom stroom gelukwense van heinde en ver in. “Geseënde Goue Huweliksherdenking!! Baie geluk~ Mag julle nog baie geseënde dae beleef~~” “Dominee en Mevrou, baie geluk met u 50ste huweliksherdenking (goue bruilof)! Mag u gesond bly en mag die liefdevolle glimlagte altyd oorvloedig blom. ♡” “Dominee ^^ Geniet u 'n vreugdevolle en geseënde tyd saam met die gesinne van u twee seuns? Ek glo die konferensie het baie goed afgeloop. Ek verneem vandag is u huweliksherdenking. Ons is so dankbaar en voel altyd so bemoedig deur u albei. Mag u albei altyd sterk en gesond bly, en mag die Here u oorblywende reis met groot vreugde vul. Ons sien daarna uit om u op 'n warm lentedag te groet~~”
“Dominee en Mevrou~ Baie, baie geluk met u goue bruilof vandag! (Geluk)(Geluk) Vir soveel jare het u getrou as mekaar se kosbaarste metgesel gestaan, terwyl u talle mense geestelik sowel as liggaamlik gedien het. Ons betoon ons diepste respek en dankbaarheid aan u!! Mag die kosbare tyd saam met Unsuk en Unsoo se gesinne en wonderlike vriende 'n tyd van rus, bemoediging en genade wees. Mag die oorblywende dae van u reis ook vol vreugde en dankbaarheid verloop. Weereens baie geluk en oorvloedige seënwense: 'n Baie Geseënde Goue Huwelik toegewens~!!”