평화의 어머니 4 - 7. 고아들을 누가 품어야 할까요

[대태양/김현수]

평화의 어머니
4장 가시밭길을 넘어, 인류의 등불이 되어

7. 고아들을 누가 품어야 할까요

1 ‘내가 너희를 고아와 같이 버려두지 아니하고 너희에게로 오리라.’
나는 이 성경 문구가 내가 걸어온 길을 압축해 표현한 말 중 하나라 생각합니다. 하나님을 모르고 인생길도 알지 못해 방황하는 사람은 제 부모가 있다 해도 마치 고아와 같습니다. 나는 그들을 하나님의 품으로 인도하기 위해 긴 세월을 지나왔습니다.

2 1990년대 초만 해도 지방에서 행사나 강연을 한다고 하던 사람들은 첫머리에 고개를 갸웃했습니다. 특히나 여성들을 상대로 한 강연이라면 아예 손사래를 쳤습니다. 그때만 해도 여성들의 목소리는 작았고, 남녀평등은 허울에 불과할 뿐 어디에서도 사례를 찾아보기 어려웠습니다.

3 나는 여성이 온전한 한 명의 인간으로서, 우리 사회의 평등한 구성원으로서, 특히나 하나님의 딸로서 주어진 역할을 다하려면 어떻게 해야 하는지를 오랫동안 고심했습니다. 그 고심의 결과로 만들어진 것이 세계평화여성연합입니다.

4 1992년 5월 인천을 시작으로 전국을 순회하며 40개 도시에서 창설대회를 차례차례 열어 갔습니다. 나는 대회에서 '이상세계의 주역이 될 여성'을 주제로 강연했습니다. 대회를 열기 전에 사람들은 '과연 몇 명이나 올까?' 걱정이 많았으나 가는 곳마다 인파로 가득 찼습니다. 대회의 주제가 여성임에도 남성 또한 많이 참석해 내가 주창하는 '여성시대'가 펼쳐지고 있음을 깨닫게 되었습니다.

5 한국 대회가 마무리되자 나는 다음 일정으로 일본을 잡았습니다.
"이 말을 일본 여성들에게도 들려주어야 해요."
"그렇긴 해도·······한국어로 하면 원래의 뜻이 잘 전달되지 않을 텐데요."
"그럼 일본어로 하면 되지요."
"연설문도 길고······· 일본어도 잘 모르시고, 시일도 촉박하고·······"

6 나는 사나흘 동안 연습해 연설문을 모두 일본어로 준비했습니다. 일본 도쿄돔에 5만여 명이 모였습니다. 일본 수도에서 내가 처음으로 일본말로 강연을 한다고 하니 역시나 사람들은 믿지 않았습니다. 심지어 집행부에서는 만약의 경우를 대비해 무대 옆에 일본어를 유창하게 구사할 수 있는 간부를 대기시켜 놓았습니다.

7 그런데 내가 연단에 올라 입을 열자마자 일본 사람들은 너무 놀라 감탄사를 연발했습니다. 감격에 겨워 여러 차례 기립박수를 보냈습니다. 처음에는 '어디선가 틀리겠지, 어디가 틀릴까?' 기다리다가 내가 한마디 한마디 또렷하게 말할 때마다 놀라움에 사방에서 탄성이 터졌습니다. 나는 지치지 않고 5개 도시를 순회하며 일본 여성들의 마음을 사로잡았습니다.

8 통역을 쓰면 훨씬 쉬웠을 테지만 나는 일본어로 된 강연문 전체를 완벽하게 소화했습니다. 일본 국민들을 고아로 만들지 않기 위해 철저히 준비했습니다.  고아가 되어 하나님을 알지 못하고 있는 현실을 내가 일본말로 또박또박 일러 주었습니다.
"이제 미국으로 가야 해요."
"힘들지 않으시겠어요?  하루라도 푹 쉬고 가면 좋을 텐데요. "
"나를 기다리고 있는 사람들이 많은데 내 몸 편하자고 쉬면 안되지요·······"

9 태평양을 건너 미국 땅으로 들어가 8대 도시를 순회하면서 '여성시대 '가 우리 곁에 다가왔음을 일깨워 주었습니다.  워싱턴에 모인 사람들은 내게 깊은 고마움을 표했습니다. 나에 대한 인식이 한국에서 온 '문선명 목사의 부인' 에서 '여성 대표로서의 한학자'로 바뀌었고, 나아가 그들은 나를 '세계를 구원하는 여성 지도자’ 로 추앙했습니다.

10 잊을 수 없는 것은 필리핀 대회였습니다.  전날 마닐라로 가기 위해 로스앤젤레스에서 비행기를 탔습니다. 잠시 눈을 붙였을 때 아기에게 젖을 먹이는 꿈을 꾸었습니다. 아주 또렷하게 예쁜 아기를 보며 꿈속에서 혼잣말을 했습니다.
"내가 지금 아기를 낳을 나이가 아닌데······?"

11 마닐라 공황에 도착하면서 그 꿈을 잊었는데, 마침 그날이 카톨릭 기념일로 원죄 없이 잉태하신 동정 마리아 대축일'이었습니다. 마닐라 시내에서 한 여성이 길을 걷다가 우연히 노랑 저고리를 입은 내 포스터를 보았습니다. 순간 '이분이 마리아의 사명을 하는 분이다' 라는 생각에 이끌려 자신도 모르게 대회장으로 들어왔습니다.  그녀는 내 연설을 듣고 감복해서 큰 소리로 외쳤습니다.
"오늘처럼 성스러운 날에 필리핀 땅에 오신 저분이 진정 마리아이시다"

12 큰 어려움과 보람이 함께한 곳은 마지막 강연지 중국이었습니다. 개방정책이 어느 정도 진행되어 대회가 순조롭게 열릴 것이라 예상했으나 그렇지 못했습니다.  처음에는 공산당이 불허했고 군부도 허락하지 않았습니다.  정치대회가 아니라고 설득하자 " 그러면 먼저 원고를 검열하겠습니다"고 했습니다.  당에서 원고를 검열하는 데 일주일이나 걸렸습니다.
"이런 내용은 곤란합니다. "

13 그들은 몇 번이나 훼방을 놓았으나 나는 양보하지 않았습니다. 정치와 무관하게 '여성'이 대회의 초점임을 강하게 내세우자 결국 저들도 허락하지 않을 수 없었습니다. 그때 덩샤오핑 전 주석의 아들 덩푸팡은 장애인으로 50만 회원을 둔 중국 장애인협회 회장이었습니다. 대회 전날 그곳 사람들이 우리를 초청해 환영회를 열어 주었습니다.

14 체제와 이념을 떠나 서로를 격려하는 화합의 자리였습니다. 저녁에는 전국부녀연합회에서 우리를 또 초청했습니다. 처음에는 잘 모르는 처지라 서로 어색했지만 곧 친구가 되어 즐겁게 노래를 부르며 화동의 시간을 가졌습니다.

15 그러나 환영회와 강연은 별개였습니다. 나는 처음의 원고 그대로 거침없이 강연을 했습니다. 공산국가에서 '하나님'이라는 말이 한 번도 아니고 수십 번이나 나오자 사람들은 놀라움을 금치 못했습니다. 나는 담담했고, 응당 그래야 된다고 생각했습니다.  베이징 인민대회당에서 그런 강연을 했다는 것 자체가 가히 혁명적인 일이었습니다.

16 그렇게 1992년 한 해 동안 세계 113곳에서 강연을 했습니다. 한국을 떠날 때 각 도시에 어울리는 옷을 여러 벌 준비해 갔는데 돌아올 때는 한 벌도 없었습니다.  거의 1년 만에 집으로 돌아오자 문 총재는 "수고했어요 "라고 말하다가 문득 물었습니다.
"그런데 결혼 반지는 어디에 있소?"

17 나는 내 손을 보았습니다. 일본으로 떠날 때 끼고 있었는데 없다는 것을 그제야 알았습니다.
"반지가 없네--------누군가에게 주었겠지요."
"누굴 주었소?"
"주긴 주었는데 기억이 나지 않아요. 받은 사람이 잘 간직하고 있거나, 아니면 팔아서 살림에 보태겠지요."
"준 것은 그렇다 치고 누굴 주었는지도 모른단 말이오?"

18 나는 늘 그래 왔기에 대수롭지 않게 여겼습니다. 우리 부부는 성혼식을 올린 후 신혼여행을 가지 못했습니다. 나는 그것을 마음에 두지 않았으나 남편은 늘 미안한 마음을 지니고 있었습니다. 세계순회 중 네덜란드에 들렀을 때 아끼고 아낀 돈으로 큰마음 먹고 작은 다이아몬드를 사왔습니다. 그렇게 의미 있는 반지를 나는 누군가에게 선뜻 내주고는 기억조차 하지 못했습니다.

19 나는 주기도 잘 주지만, 주는 즉시 그 사실을 잊어버립니다. 자기 몸에 지닌 것을 주고, 사랑을 주고, 심지어 생명까지 주어도 잊어버리는 사람이 하나님 앞에 제일 가까이 갑니다.

20 나는 발이 부르틀 때까지 세계를 돌며 여성의 참다운 가치와 사명, 하나님의 사랑에 대해 들려주었습니다. 하나님을 모르고 참부모를 알지 못해 천애고아가 되는 것을 막기 위해서였습니다. 우리는 참부모를 모시고 살아갈 때 모든 것을 잃어버린 고아에서 벗어나 참된 행복을 누리는 하나님의 아들딸이 됩니다.

平和の母
第四章 茨の道を越え、人類の灯火となって

7. 孤児たちを誰が抱くのでしょうか

わたしはあなたがたを捨てて孤児とはしない。あなたがたのところに帰って来る。(ヨハネによる福音書一四章一八節)

私はこの聖句が、自らの歩んできた道を一言で表現している言葉の一つだと思います。神様を知らず、人生の行くべき道も分からずにさまよっている人は、たとえ生みの親がいたとしても、まるで孤児のように生きる人です。彼らを神様の元に導くため、私は長い歳月をかけて歩んできました。

一九九○年代の初め、私が地方で大会や講演を行うと言うと、人々は首をかしげるばかりでした。特に、それが女性を対象にした講演ともなると、まともに取り合いませんでした。当時韓国ではまだ女性の声があまり取り上げられず、男女平等といっても掛け声だけで、実際にはどこにも見いだすことができなかったのです。

私は女性が一人の人間として、社会の平等な構成員として、特に神様の娘として、与えられた役割を果たすためにはどのようにすべきか、長年苦心してきました。その結果、設立されたのが、「世界平和女性連合（WFWP）」です。

一九九二年五月から、仁川を皮切りに全国二十一ヵ所を巡回し、六月からは四十の都市で次々に大会を行いました。その大会で私は、「理想世界の主役となる女性」というテーマで講演をしました。大会前、人々は「果たして何人来るだろうか?」と大いに心配していましたが、ふたを開けてみると、行く先々で会場に人があふれたのです。「女性」が大会のテーマであるにもかかわらず、男性もたくさん参加しました。まさに、私が提唱する「女性時代」の到来を予感させる大会となったのです。

韓国大会が終わると、私は次の講演先として日本を選びました。
「この話を、日本の女性たちにも聞かせてあげなければなりません」
「そうは言いましても……韓国語では、本来の意味がうまく伝わらないと思うのですが」
「日本語で話せばよいのですね」
「長い講演文ですし……日本語はあまり習われたことがない上、時間も迫っております」
私は休むことなく練習し、講演文をすべて日本語で語れるようにしました。

会場となった日本の東京ドームには、五万人以上が集まりました。日本の首都で、私が初めて日本語で講演すると言っても、人々は信じませんでした。それだけでなく、大会執行部はもしものときに備え、舞台袖に日本語を流暢に話せる韓国人幹部を待機させておいたのです。

ところが、私が演壇に上がって口を開くと、日本人の聴衆はとても驚き、感嘆の声を上げました。感激のあまり、何度も立ち上がって拍手を送るほどでした。みな、最初は「どこかで間違うだろう、どこで間違うか?」と構えていましたが、私が一言一言、はっきりとした発音で講演する姿を見て、あちこちから驚嘆の声が上がったのです。

私は疲れることも忘れて日本の都市十ヵ所を回り、日本女性の心をつかみました。
通訳を使えばはるかに簡単だったでしょうが、私は日本語で書かれた講演文を、最初から最後まで、完璧に消化して伝えました。日本国民を孤児にしないため、徹底的に準備したのです。神様を知らず、孤児になっているということを、日本語ではっきりと伝えたのです。
「次は、アメリカに行かなければなりません」
「大変ではないですか？　一日でもゆっくり休まれてはいかがでしょう」
「私を待っている人がたくさんいるのに、楽をしたいからといって休んではいけないでしょう」

私は太平洋を越えてアメリカの地に入り、八大都市を巡回しながら、「女性時代」が私たちの目の前に迫ってきていることを英語で訴えました。ワシントンに集まった人々は、私に深い感謝の意を表してくれました。私に対する認識が、韓国から来た「文鮮明牧師の夫人」から「女性代表としての韓鶴子」に変わり、ひいては「世界を救う女性指導者」として、私を仰ぐようになったのです。

忘れられないのが、フィリピン大会です。大会前日、マニラへ向かうために、飛行機に乗り込みました。すると、しばらく目を閉じている問に、赤ん坊にお乳を飲ませる夢を見たのです。顔立ちのすっきりしたかわいい赤ちゃんをじっと見つめながら、私は夢の中で独り言をつぶやきました。
「もう赤ん坊を生む年齢ではないのだけれど……？」

マニラ空港に到着する頃には、その夢のことは忘れていましたが、ちょうどその日は、マリヤに関する祝日として、カトリックで記念している日でした。
その日、マニラ市内を歩いていたある女性が、黄色いチョゴリ姿の私のボスターを偶然目にしました。その瞬間、彼女は「この方はマリヤの使命を果たす方だ」という思いに駆られ、我知らず、大会の会場に入ってきたのです。彼女は私の講演を聴いて感服し、大声で叫びました。
「きょうのような聖なる日に、フィリピンの地に来られたあの方は、本物のマリヤだ！」

大きな困難とやり甲斐を両方感じたのは、最後の講演地である中国でした。開放政策がある程度進み、大会も問題なく開催できるだろうと予想していましたが、そうはいきませんでした。まず共産党が許可をせず、さらに軍部も許可を出しませんでした。政治大会ではないと言って説得すると、「それなら、まずは原稿を検閲する」と言うのです。そうして、党が原稿を検閲するのに、一週間もかかりました。
「このような内容は困ります」

彼らは何度も拒絶してきましたが、私は譲歩しませんでした。そして政治とは何の関係もなく、「女性」が大会のテーマであることを強く押し出した結果、ようやく許可が下りたのです。

鄧小平氏の息子で、自身も障がいのある鄧樸方という方が会長を務める中国身体障害者連合会が、大会前日、私たちを招待し、歓迎会を開いてくれました。その場はまさに、体制や理念を超えて互いに励まし合う、和合の場となりました。

夜には、中華全国婦女連合会という組織が私たちを招待してくれました。最初はよく知らない間柄だったので、ぎこちなさもありましたが、すぐに打ち解け、楽しく歌を歌いながら、和動の時間を持つことができました。

しかし、歓迎会と講演は別物です。私は最初の原稿のまま、はばかることなく講演をしました。 共産国家で「神様」という言葉が一度どころか、十数回も出てくるので、人々は驚きを隠せませんでした。私は堂々と、当然すべきことをするという態度で、講演をしました。北京の人民大会堂でそのような講演をしたこと自体が、まさに革命的な出来事でした。

このようにして、一九九二年に一年間かけて、世界百十三カ所で講演を行いました。韓国を発つ時、それぞれの国や気候にふさわしい服を何着も準備して行ったのですが、帰ってきた時は、一着も残っていませんでした。ほぼ一年ぶりに家に帰ると、文総裁が「御苦労様」と言いながら、ふと尋ねました。
「ところで、結婚指輪はどこへ行ったの？」

私は自分の手を見ました。日本に行く時は着けていたはずですが、いつの間にかなくなっていたことに、その時になって気づいたのです。
「指輪……ありませんね。誰かにあげたのでしょう」
「誰にあげたの？」
誰かにあげたことはあげたのですが、思い出せません。受け取った人が大切に保管しているか、売って生活費の足しにすることでしょう」
「あげたのはいいとして、誰にあげたかも覚えていないの？」
私は、いつもそうしてきたので、たいしたことではないと思いました。

私たち夫婦は、聖婚式は挙げたものの、新婚旅行には行けませんでした。私はそれを気にしていませんでしたが、文総裁はそれをずっとすまなく思っていたようです。世界巡回でオランダに立ち寄った際、それまで節約に節約を重ねて貯めたお金で、思い切って小さなダイヤの指輪を買ってくれたのです。そのような思い入れのある指輪を、私は誰かにあげてしまった上、そのことを覚えてすらいませんでした。

私は与えるのもためらいなく与えますが、与えると同時に、そのことを忘れてしまいます。自分が持っている物を与え、愛を与え、さらには命まで与えても忘れる人が、神様の一番近くに行くことができるのです。

私は足が腫れ上がるまで世界を回り、女性の真の価値と使命、神様の愛について伝えました。それは人々が神様を知らず、真の父母を知らずに、天涯の孤児になることを防ぐためでした。真の父母に侍って生きるとき、すべてを失った孤児の立場から抜け出し、本当の幸せを手にする神様の息子、娘となるのです。

MOTHER of PEACE
CHAPTER 4 God's Light Shines Upon A Path Of Thorns
 
7. l will not leave you as orphans

As the Last Supper approached, Jesus comforted his disciples, saying, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” This passage condenses into a few words the path I have walked. Even though all human beings have parents, as we have wandered through history without knowing God or the true way of life, we have felt like orphans. I have striven throughout my life to lead humanity to the welcoming, forgiving, rebirthing love of God, who is our Heavenly Parent.

As recently as the 1990s, if a woman headlined an event or speaking tour in a rural area of Korea, people would look in askance and dismiss the whole idea. They could not comprehend the idea that a woman could address audiences of women and for women. At that time, women had no public voice. Society officially declared that men and women have equal value, but in practice, such a declaration was hardly worth the paper it was printed on. No one, man or woman, could as much as find a starting point for an intelligent discussion of the matter.

I had long pondered if and when women would fulfill their role as perfected human beings, as fully co-creative and significant members of society, and especially as daughters of God. My husband and I had deep experiences in prayer during the Danbury imprisonment, and we together concluded that it was time for the liberation of all women, and for me to take a public role to teach and exemplify it. Thus arose a careful creation of the spiritual and physical foundations for what came to be called the Women's Federation for World Peace.

My husband began teaching about my position as a true woman standing at God's left side with him on God's right side; about me being a true woman and co-founder of our movement; about me being a true woman serving, as he does, as an individual embodiment of True Parents; and about me being a true woman having the same authority, inheritance and rights as he. After our meetings with President Mikhail Gorbachev and Mrs. Raisa Gorbachev and with Chairman Kim Il Sung, about which I will share below, we decided it was time for the declaration of True Parents to the world. As his wife, I am my husband's first witness. And as my partner in the love of Heavenly Parent, he was the first to advocate that I reach the world with our message of peace.

My husband and I founded the Women's Federation for World Peace. After its inaugural rally at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul in April 1992, about which I will also speak below, I held a series of events to launch Women's Federation chapters in 40 Korean cities. I spoke on the theme, 'Women Will Play a Leading Role in the Ideal World.” We wondered what would be the turnout for these events and were gratified that every venue was filled to capacity. Although the speech focused on women, many men attended as well. I saw the era of women that my husband and I were advocating taking shape before my eyes.

(PICTURE 11)
April 10, 1992: 150,000 attend the inaugural rally of
the Women's Federation for World Peace in Seoul

When the Korean speaking tour was over, we planned a speaking schedule for me to launch the Women's Federation in Japan. “Japanese women need to hear these words, too,” I told our logistics team.

“True,” they replied, “But you speak Korean, and through the interpreter, the original meaning will not be fully conveyed.”

'I agree,” I said, with the follow-up: 'Then I shall speak in Japanese.”

When my husband heard about this, even he wanted to talk it over. 'It would be much easier to use an interpreter. The speech is long, and you don't know Japanese well. You have to leave soon. Are you confident that you can speak to them in Japanese?”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew my answer. I didn't need to say anything. I practiced the speech in Japanese for a few days, my motivation being that the Japanese people should not remain orphans. I was determined to explain to them, in their language, the reality that we all have been orphans, and that today, through True Parents, we can become children of our Heavenly Parent.

On September 24, 1992, a crowd of 50,000 people gathered at the Tokyo Dome. It was my first time speaking publicly in Japanese, and this was a prominent venue in Japan's capital. The audience was aware of this. No one, Korean or Japanese, had high expectations for the outcome. The organizers, being prudent, prepared a young Japanese interpreter to stand just off-stage, in case I faltered. But when I came to the podium and began to speak, the audience was surprised. They cheered and stood up to applaud. For a few minutes they remained anxious, thinking, “Surely she'll make a mistake.” But as I continued, and each sentence impressed God's word in their hearts, the audience looked relaxed and happy.

Over the next nine days, I gave that speech in seven cities without losing strength, and then for three more days, I delivered it to Koreans residing in Japan. I uplifted the hearts of all Japanese as well as Korean women.

'I need to speak in America,' I then told my staff.

'Won't that be difficult?” they responded. “Please, let's take at least a full day's rest before flying.” But my mind was already in the West. 'Many people are waiting for me,” I uttered without thinking, “I cannot rest.'

I crossed the Pacific and stepped onto American soil. Speaking in the eight largest cities of the US, I announced that the era of women was near and what it means for men, women and God. On the first day, the people of Washington, DC, thanked me deeply. They had thought of me only as “the wife of Rev. Sun Myung Moon from Korea,” but now their perception changed. I was now, “Hak Ja Han, who represents us, and represents the aspirations and value of all women.” I planted in their hearts the seeds of female leadership that is necessary to complete the salvation of the world.

My inaugural speaking tour for the Women's Federation continued through Europe, Russia, Asia and Oceania. I will never forget what happened when I spoke in the Philippines. The day before the event, I flew from Los Angeles to Manila. On the plane, I took a short nap, during which I dreamed I was breastfeeding a baby. As I looked at the beautiful baby, I said to myself, “I'm not of an age to give birth anymore.”

When I arrived in Manila, I discovered that it was a Catholic holy day, December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A woman walking on the street in downtown Manila happened to see a poster advertising my speech. The poster had me in a yellow Korean dress. Suddenly, the thought, “This is the person who will fulfill Mother Mary's mission,” came into her mind. Then and there, she decided to attend my event. She was deeply moved by my speech, during which she arose and loudly exclaimed, “The one who came to the Philippines on this holy day is truly our Mother Mary!” Cheers erupted throughout the convention center.

The final venue on that tour was China's Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square. It was an event both very difficult and very rewarding. We expected that, since China's open-door policy was in place, everything would go smoothly, but that was not the case. From the outset, the Communist Party and the military had refused to grant a permit. When we explained that it wasn't a political rally, they said, “We will check the script first. It cannot have anything in it about God.” That took them a week. Their conclusion: 'We cannot allow this kind of content.'

I strongly argued with them. They repeatedly gave their reasons to change my speech, but I didn't yield. I insisted that the message had nothing to do with politics and that its focus was on women. The matter stood at a tipping point. At that time, President Deng Xiaoping's son, Deng Pufang, was the chairman of the China Disabled Persons Federation, an organization consisting of 500,000 people. The day before the event, the young Mr. Deng invited me and other Women's Federation leaders to a reception held by his organization. It was a harmonious meeting, where we encouraged one another despite the differences in our systems and ideologies. Hearing of this pleasant experience, that evening, the All-China Women's Federation welcomed us to their gathering. We didn't know each other well, so it felt awkward at first, but soon all of us ladies became friends and had a good time singing happily together.

Even though social receptions and official public events are two different things, with confidence based on our positive experiences with the two national organizations related closely to the president, I stood my ground and gave the original speech. The audience in this communist country was surprised when they heard me say the name of God, not just once, but dozens of times. I was calm, as I knew I should be in that circumstance. It was revolutionary to give such a speech in the Great Hall of the People. It was the revolutionary power of a woman. In such circumstances, I carried out that 1992 speaking tour of 113 locations around the world.

When I departed Korea for this speaking tour, I had several outfits, a collection suitable for the variety of climates I would encounter. When I returned, all I had was the suit I was wearing. I always give away my clothes, and I had been gone for most of the year. When my husband welcomed me, his first words were, “You did a good job.” Then, glancing at my hands, out of the blue, he asked, “By the way, where's your wedding ring?'

I looked at my hand. Only then did I remember it was gone. “I don't have the ring,” I said, “I must have given it to someone.'

'To whom did you give it?” he asked, incredulous.

“Ahhh, yes, I gave it to someone during the tour,” I said. “But I don't remember who it was. I gave it to someone either to keep as an heirloom or, if necessary, to sell for her family's well-being.”

My husband made the natural comment, “It's fine that you gave it away, but you don't remember who you gave it to?'

We really don't focus so much on personal possessions, and that is how we've always been. As we looked into each other's eyes, my husband's gratitude for that quality in me surfaced. He collected himself, smiled and nodded, and the welcoming celebration proceeded.

My husband and I could not have a honeymoon. I didn't mind, but he had always felt remorseful. When we visited the Netherlands during a speaking tour-it must have been 1969-after much thought, he bought me a small diamond ring with some money he had saved. That was the meaning of that ring, but now I had given it to someone and had even forgotten that I had done so. I do give things away out of sympathetic love, and then I let it go. Those who give what they have, give their heart, and even their life, and do not cling to the memory, are the ones whom God visits. My husband knows I am like that, and he is, too. Just as I had done, he let it go.

That 1992 global speaking tour was by no means a vacation; it covered 113 cities, 24 time zones, venue upon venue, check-in upon check-in, crowd upon crowd, schedule upon schedule, pressure upon pressure. I was speaking on the value and mission of women, the way to peace in the family and world, and the love of Heavenly Parent. This was to open the gates for the world's people who are stranded as lonely orphans, to welcome them into the loving, liberating embrace of True Parents. Only when we receive God's Blessing in marriage can we leave the orphanage and receive our inheritance as the sons and daughters of God who enjoy true happiness.

I am here to give my wedding ring to everyone.