며칠 전 뒷산으로 산책을 가다가 홍매화가 예쁘게 피어 있는 것을 발견했습니다. 봄이 왔다는 것을 어떤 현수막이 이보다 더 확실히 알려줄 수 있을까요? 그래서 감나무 묵은 껍질 벗기는 일을 더 이상 미룰 수 없습니다. 껍질을 벗겨두면 병해를 막기 위한 약을 쳐 주시겠다는 가까이 있는 노아농장의 장로님이 올해는 특히 고맙습니다. 4~5년 동안 묵혀둔 텃밭농사뿐 아니라 감, 무화과, 보리수 등도 거름을 주며 농약을 칠 때가 성큼 다가옵니다. 그렇다고 농사만 지을 수는 없습니다. 촛불 하나 마음대로 켤 수 없는 시대의 옛 어른들도 주경야독을 해서 형설지공을 이루었다는 이야기를 듣고 살아온 세대니까요^^
그래서 최근에 읽은 세 권의 책 이야기를 나누고 싶습니다. 세 권의 책의 구성은 짧은 에피소드 내지 소감들로 편집된 것이기에 읽기에 부담스럽지 않아서 좋았습니다. 게다가 한 꼭지가 5분 정도면 충분히 읽을 수 있는 짧은 글이고, 무엇보다도 책을 펴면 계속 읽게 되는 좋은 책들이었습니다.
<나는 나무에게 인생을 배웠다>는 일찌감치 선물 받고도 시작만 하고 끝을 보지 못하다가 이번에는 끝까지 읽었습니다. 나무 의사 우종영 님이 쓴 책인데 한성수 님이 독자를 위해서 읽기 쉽도록 엮어주어서 특별히 감사하고 싶습니다. 표지 디자인도 예쁜 초록 나무들로 구성되어 있고 “세상에서 가장 나이 많고 지혜로운 철학자, 나무로부터 배우는 단단한 삶의 태도들”이라고 책 내용을 밝혀줍니다. 각각 한 나무 이야기에서 출발해서 삶의 지혜로 연결시키는 솜씨가 탁월했습니다.
두 번째 책은 “아름답고 복된 인생길에 백만 송이 장미 가득하기를”이란 친필 글귀로 저자 최진석 원장(하동 000연합의원)님으로부터 선물 받은 책입니다.
아빠 최진석 님이 딸 최보인 님께 “17년 동안 써 내려간 가장 사적이고 가장 성경적인 묵상 편지”라고 밝힌 <매일 아침 아빠의 묵상이 배달됩니다>는 책은 생명의 말씀사에서 작년에 출판되자 말자 두 달도 되지 않아 3쇄가 나왔습니다.
아빠가 17년 동안 보낸 묵상을 받았던 딸 최보인 님이 너무 예쁘게 사랑으로 아빠의 마음을 담아서 만든 책입니다. 한 편 한 편이 내용과 구성이 감동이었습니다. 그래서 모든 부모들에게, 특히 아직도 영향을 줄 수 있는 나이의 자녀를 둔 부모들에게 필독서로 추천하고 싶습니다. 읽게 되면 반드시 저를 감사의 마음으로 기억할 것입니다.
세 번째 책은 ‘인간미가 넘치는 진실한 그리스도인, 약한 자의 이웃’ <선한 의사 박상은>입니다. 박상은 장로님의 사촌동생인 고신대 교수였던 박신현 님으로부터 선물 받았습니다. 본래 박 교수의 아버님의 <송산 박재석 평전>을 부탁했는데 덤으로 형님에 관한 책까지 주셨습니다. 구하는 것에 넘치도록 주시는 하늘 아버지를 닮았나 봅니다.
<선한 의사 박상은>을 65세에 갑작스럽게 떠나보낸 후 그의 생전에 그와 친밀히 교제했던 63인의 기억이 담겨있습니다. 아내인 이혜경 님의 글입니다. “나도 이 땅에 사명을 다 마치고 나면… 사랑하는 주님 앞에서 반갑게 만날 것이다. 그날까지 아이들을 위해서 기도할 것이다. 아빠가 살아나갈 인생을 대신 살아주는 고마운 딸과 아들이 되도록… 그 따뜻한 사랑을 실천하면서” 이 책을 통해 주님을 닮은 <선한 의사 박상은>을 만나면서 나의 초라한 모습 때문에 많이 울었습니다.
A few days ago, on a walk up the hill behind our home, I noticed the lovely red plum blossoms in bloom. What banner could proclaim the arrival of spring more surely than this? And so, peeling the old bark from the persimmon trees can no longer be put off. I feel especially grateful this year to an elder from the nearby Noah Farm, who promised to spray medicine to ward off pests and diseases once the bark is removed. The time is fast approaching not only to tend the vegetable garden that lay dormant for four or five years, but also to fertilize and spray the persimmons, figs, and autumn olives. Yet one cannot spend all one's time farming. After all, I belong to a generation raised on tales of ancestors who, even in times when lighting a single candle was a luxury, tilled the soil by day and studied by night to achieve scholarly success through painstaking perseverance. ^^
And so, I would like to share thoughts on three books I have read recently. All three are compiled from brief episodes and reflections, making them delightfully approachable and light to read. Furthermore, each section takes barely five minutes to finish, and above all, they are the kind of wonderful books that keep you reading once you open them.
I Learned About Life from Trees had been on my shelf as a gift for quite some time, but having previously only started it without reaching the end, this time I read it through. It was written by tree arborist Jong-young Woo, and I wish to express special thanks to Sung-soo Han for editing it into such an easy, pleasant read. The cover design is adorned with lovely green trees, accompanied by a description that reads: "Firm attitudes toward life learned from trees—the oldest and wisest philosophers in the world." The author's artistry in beginning with a story of a single tree and naturally connecting it to life's deeper wisdom was truly outstanding.
The second book was given to me with an inscription in the author's own handwriting: "May your beautiful and blessed journey of life be filled with a million roses." It came from Dr. Jin-seok Choi, director of Hadong 000 United Clinic.
Described by a father, Dr. Jin-seok Choi, to his daughter, Bo-in Choi, as "the most personal and biblical devotional letters written over seventeen years," Every Morning, Dad’s Devotion Is Delivered went into its third printing less than two months after its publication by Word of Life Press last year.
The daughter, Bo-in Choi, who had received these devotions from her father over seventeen years, beautifully and lovingly compiled this book from her father’s heart. Each entry was profoundly touching in both content and composition. For that reason, I heartily recommend it as essential reading for all parents, especially those who still have children of an age they can influence. If you pick it up, you will surely remember me with gratitude.
The third book is The Good Doctor, Sang-eun Park: A Warmhearted, True Christian and Neighbor to the Weak. It was a gift from Shin-hyun Park, a former professor at Kosin University and a cousin of the late Elder Sang-eun Park. Originally, I had asked for the biography of Professor Park's father, Songsan Park Jae-seok: A Critical Biography, but he generously included this book about his older cousin as well. It seems he takes after our Heavenly Father, who gives abundantly beyond all we ask.
After The Good Doctor, Sang-eun Park departed from us so suddenly at the age of sixty-five, sixty-three individuals who had shared close fellowship with him gathered their memories in this book. His wife, Hye-kyung Lee, wrote these words: "When I too have finished my calling on this earth... I shall joyfully meet him before our beloved Lord. Until that day, I will pray for our children—that our precious daughter and son may live the kind of life their father would have lived in his stead... putting that warm love into practice." Encountering The Good Doctor, Sang-eun Park, who so closely reflected the Lord, I found myself weeping many times over my own modest, humble state.
Toe ek 'n paar dae gelede teen die heuwel agter ons huis gaan stap het, het ek opgemerk dat die rooi pruimbloeisels pragtig blom. Watter vaandel sou die koms van die lente duideliker kon aankondig as dít? Daarom kan die afskilfering van die ou bas van die persimmonbome nie langer uitgestel word nie. Ek is vanjaar besonder dankbaar teenoor 'n ouderling van die nabygeleë Noag-plaas, wat beloof het om die bome teen plae en siektes te spuit sodra die bas verwyder is. Die tyd breek vinnig aan, nie net om die groentetuin wat vier of vyf jaar lank braak gelê het te bewerk nie, maar ook om bemesting toe te dien en persimmons, vye en olyfwilg te spuit. Tog kan 'n mens nie net boer nie. Ek behoort immers aan 'n geslag wat grootgeword het met verhale van voorsate wat selfs in tye toe 'n enkele kers 'n luukse was, bedags die lande bewerk en snags ywerig gestudeer het om deur volharding geleerdheid te verwerf. ^^
Daarom wil ek graag gedagtes deel oor drie boeke wat ek onlangs gelees het. Al drie boeke bestaan uit kort episodes en beskouings, wat dit 'n baie toeganklike en gerieflike leeservaring maak. Boonop neem elke stukkie skaars vyf minute om deur te lees, en bowenal is dit die soort goeie boeke wat jou bly boei sodra jy hulle oopmaak.
Ek het by bome oor die lewe geleer was 'n geskenk wat ek lank gelede reeds ontvang het, maar nadat ek voorheen slegs begin het sonder om dit klaar te maak, het ek dit hierdie keer tot aan die einde deurgelees. Dit is geskryf deur die boomkundige Jong-young Woo, en ek wil 'n besondere woord van dank rig aan Sung-soo Han, wat dit so keurig en leesbaar vir die leser saamgestel het. Die buiteblad is versier met lieflike groen bome en beskryf die inhoud soos volg: "Stewige lewenshoudings geleer by bome—die wêreld se oudste en wysste filosowe." Die skrywer se kuns om telkens vanuit die verhaal van 'n enkele boom te vertrek en dit met diepere lewenswysheid te verbind, was waarlik voortreflik.
Die tweede boek het ek ontvang met 'n handgeskrewe boodskap van die skrywer self: "Mag u pragtige en geseënde lewenspad gevul wees met 'n miljoen rose." Dit was 'n geskenk van dr. Jin-seok Choi, hoof van Hadong 000 United Clinic.
Beskryf deur 'n pa, dr. Jin-seok Choi, aan sy dogter, Bo-in Choi, as "die mees persoonlike en Bybelse oordenkingsbriewe wat oor sewentien jaar heen geskryf is," het Elke oggend word Pa se oordenking afgelewer verlede jaar by Word of Life Press verskyn en binne minder as twee maande reeds 'n derde druk beleef.
Die dogter, Bo-in Choi, wat sewentien jaar lank hierdie oordenkings van haar pa ontvang het, het die boek met soveel liefde en skoonheid uit haar pa se hart saamgestel. Elke afsonderlike oordenking was roerend in sowel inhoud as vorm. Daarom wil ek dit ten sterkste aanbeveel as noodsaaklike leesstof vir alle ouers, veral diegene met kinders van 'n ouderdom wat nog beïnvloed kan word. As u dit lees, sal u my gewis met dankbaarheid onthou.
Die derde boek is Die goeie dokter, Sang-eun Park: 'n Mensliewende, opregte Christen en naaste vir die swakkes. Dit was 'n geskenk van Shin-hyun Park, 'n voormalige professor aan die Kosin Universiteit en 'n neef van wyle ouderling Sang-eun Park. Aanvanklik het ek gevra vir die biografie van professor Park se vader, Songsan Park Jae-seok: 'n Lewensbeskrywing, maar hy het boonop die boek oor sy ouer neef saamgestuur. Dit lyk asof hy aard na ons hemelse Vader, wat oorvloedig gee bo alles wat ons bid of dink.
Nadat Die goeie dokter, Sang-eun Park ons op 65-jarige ouderdom so skielik ontval het, is die herinneringe van 63 persone wat intieme gemeenskap met hom geniet het, in hierdie boek byeengebring. Sy eggenote, Hye-kyung Lee, skryf: "Wanneer ek ook my aardse roeping voltooi het... sal ek hom met vreugde voor ons geliefde Here ontmoet. Tot daardie dag sal ek vir ons kinders bid—sodat ons liewe dogter en seun die lewe sal leef wat hul pa in sy plek sou geleef het... terwyl hulle daardie warm liefde uitleef." Toe ek deur hierdie boek kennis maak met Die goeie dokter, Sang-eun Park, wat so getrou die Here weerspieël het, het ek baie gehuil oor my eie nietigheid.