In remembrance of Dr. Schofield with the Edelweiss flower

[김수영(Anaheim)]

에델바이스 꽃 

In remembrance of Dr. Schofield with the Edelweiss flower

    The Edelweiss flower blooms on the alpine summit in the Alps of Switzerland. I did not know what it looked like, until I saw it. Dr. Schofield, who was 34th patriot in the ‘March 1st Independence Movement’ in Korea, gave me such a beautiful flower dried in a frame. It was so pretty that I exclaimed with joy.
     Dr. Schofield bought me this souvenir, on his visit to Switzerland. I had hung it on the wall to remember him for what he has done for Korean Independence from Japan and for the Korean people including myself.
     The College of Liberal Arts of Seoul National University stood apposite to the Medical College of Seoul National University. There was a Foreign Teacher’s House at the corner of the campus of the Medical College in which all the foreign professors lived together.
     I used to go to the library of College of Liberal Arts which was very close to my house for further study for my major. If I had had some questions about English literature, I would have visited an exchange English professor living at the Foreign Teacher’s House.
     One day, I came across Dr. Schofield in the hallway at the above house. We introduced each other. At that time, I saw him limping, and carrying his cane. I thought he might need some help, and I tried to visit t him as often as I could.
When I met him for the first time, he was teaching at the Veterinary College of Seoul National University. He showed me what God’s love was through his daily life. He was our example and mentor.
     Dr. Schofield had a very strong faith in God. He always emphasized his most favorite verse of the Bible, John 12:24, ‘I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only one single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.’ As a missionary, he wanted to be ‘a dying grain’ for Korea to please God.
When I told him that I majored in English language, he asked me whether I could interpret for him at an orphanage or somewhere else, and I was willing to help him out.
     As time went by, we became intimate. He gave me an English name Gwen, and Dora for my sister. He wanted to be our uncle. He always singed in his letters with ‘Uncle Frank’. I love this precious name and use it as my E-mail address now.
    He used to write countless letters to his acquaintances and friends all over the world
in the night time for fund-raising for scholarships. Many young promising students were granted scholarships and many poor orphans were taken care of as well. When I helped him with writing letters, I was so touched to tears. He was not free with his extremities at will due to infantile paralysis. He made a lot of effort to finish even one letter. He inspired me with respect in such toil.
     One day, I invited him to my house for dinner. In the presence of all my family members, he gave me his souvenir flower and his framed photo taken with the Order of Culture Merit of the Republic of Korea by Former President, Yoon, Bo Sun. The photo shows him holding a gold key in his hands presented by the Vice Mayor of the Special City of Seoul. His photo has hung on the wall of my living room for half a century. The framed photo has been well preserved without fading in color. He asked me to pray for him, whenever I see them hanging on the wall.
     Unfortunately, I have lost the Edelweiss flower in America. It might be lost packing my stuffs to move to another place. I was so sad to lose it. However, his lessons and words dwell vividly in my heart like twinkling stars at night. They lead and guide me as hope into light even in a dark tunnel.
    In 1919, when the March 1 Movement took place, the Japanese government cruelly suppressed the Korean people by tortures, killing with knives and spears. Some people in Cheam-ri were burnt to death. Dr. Schofield, risking his own safety and life, took pictures of Japanese atrocities against the Koreans and wrote many articles against their barbarism in Korea.
     Dr. Schofield dwells in our heart vividly. His patriotism and love for Korea kindled us by torch flame and brightened our country from our struggle.
He played a very important and significant role to bring us freedom from Japanese colonial rule. What a noble and purified life he had all his life! He is a man of justice and righteousness without compromising injustice and unrighteousness.
     He is a man of perseverance. He was very stern and strict. He called himself “Tiger, grandfather.” He told me that his pigeon’s feathers all had fallen off and instead, “Tiger” appeared all of a sudden to fight against Japan.
     He quenched our thirst for freedom. Thanks to him, we have liberation from Japan and our country, Korea, has earned credit for strong nation. Korea stands aloft as a nation of great economic power. He had prayed to God for our country. He sowed a seed as a ‘dying grain’ for our country. Now, our nation yields a fruitful harvest and is prosperous in many ways.
Whenever I look at his framed photo hanging on the wall, it reminds me of his patriotism for Korea with a souvenir flower “Edelweiss”.
     “Edelweiss” comes from two German words. “Edel” means “nobility” and “weiss” is the German word for “white.” The small white blossoms represent daring or noble courage.The flowers are felted and woolly with white hairs, with characteristic bloom consisting of five to six small yellow flower heads surrounded by leaflets in star form.
     When I saw this beautiful flower, I was crazy about the beauty. Even if it was a dried flower in frame, it looked liked a live flower. Edelweiss is the national flower of Austria and Switzerland. It is known there as the “Queen of the Flowers.” It is called everlasting flower of the Alps. In windy snowy storm in the Alps, Edelweiss flower survives, as tenacious alpine plant. Edelweiss blooms in white like snow. It looks small and weak. But it is strong enough to endure any hardship in spite of cold weather. It looks starry velvety flower in white. It symbolizes “purity.”
      I was deeply moved to tears, when I saw Captain George von Trapp singing “edelweiss” in the musical “the Sound of Music.” He fell in love with a nun. He sang the song “Edelweiss” with his children and her, playing the guitar, before they left Austria, their homeland. The song was a defiant statement of Austrian patriotism in the face of the pressure put upon him to join the navy of Nazi Germany.
      The song, “Edelweiss,” for the musical “The Sound of Music,” symbolizes the spirit of Austrian patriotism in the face of the 1939 Nazi invasion.
      I came to love the Edelweiss flower, because Dr. Schofield bought it for me as souvenir. It is so unique and lovely flower. I love the song, “Edelweiss” in the musical, “Sound of Music.”
      There is a beautiful legend about Edelweiss flower as follows:

      A beautiful young girl whose name called “Edelweiss” lived in ice cubic house in the Alps of Switzerland. “Edelweiss” was an angel, but capricious God transformed her into human being. He had her descend on the summit of the Alps. One day, an alpinist found her, and he was fascinated by her beauty and loveliness.
      As soon as he descended the Alps, he praised her beauty to everybody whom he met. A lot of young men competed to climb the Alps to see her. However, all of the young men died due to cold weather, dangerous crags and cliffs.
She heard sad stories about young men who died on the way and she prayed to her God to have her ascend to heaven. Her God listened to her and descended light beam to reverse her to be an angel again. After she left her house, there was a beautiful white flower in full boom. People called that flower “Edelweiss. “

     Even if I had lost your precious gift “the framed Edelweiss flower,” your beautiful mind still hangs on my mind like the Edelweiss flower.

     Dr. Schofield, our everlasting patriot, we love you and honor you! We miss you. We gathered together to commemorate your merits, today! God bless Canada and Korea!!


* 6월 1일과 2일에 캐나다 스코필드 박사님 추모회에서 동상 제막식과
토론토 동물원에 세워진 스코필드 박사 추모 기념 한국정원 완공식에 참석하기 위해 영어로 수필을 썼다. 대부분 외국 귀빈들이기 때문이다.


 

[양인회(뉴욕)]

대단한 영어 실력에 감탄합니다. 좋은 글로 잘 간직 하겠습니다.

[김수영(Anaheim)]

양박님 오랫만입니다. 몸이 좀 많이 아파서 두분불출 했습니다. 별로 잘 쓰지도 못했는데....부끄럽습니다.

[홍지복(RI)]

마음이 움직이는 글입니다.존경할 수 있는 분을 품고 사시는 삶....행복한 삶이네요. 잘품고 갑니다.

[김수영(Anaheim)]

지복님 오랫만입니다. 안녕하시지요? 나이가 들어가니 자꾸 아픈데가 생겨 고생 좀 했습니다. 스코필드 박사님은 잊을 수 없는 정말 귀한 분입니다. 저의 문학의 길을 열어주신 피천득 교수님과 저의 신앙의 눈을 뜨게 해 주신 스코필드 박사님 - 두 분은 저의 인생의 획(epoch-making)을 그어 주신 분들이라 그렇게 귀 할 수가 없네요.

[김정희(뉴욕)]

에델바이즈 꽃이 이처럼 찬란히 빛나는 모습인지를 예전에는 미처 몰랐습니다. 수영선배님의 글이 무척 훌륭하다는 것은 잘 알고 있으나, 영어수준이 이처럼 높은지는 예전에는 미처 몰랐네요. 스코필드 박사님께서도 저 세상에서 많이 흐믓하시겠습니다!

[김수영(Anaheim)]

정희님 한국 잘 다녀 오셨군요. 추억에 남는 여행이 된 줄 믿습니다. 정희님 늘 과찬을 해 주시니 얼굴이 좀 붉어 집니다.
감사합니다.

[김수영(Anaheim)]

영희님 겸손의 말씀을 하시는 군요. 한국에는 요즈음 여름이 닥아오고 있겠지요. 늘 열정적으로 사시는 모습이 참 부럽습니다. 늘 건강하시기 바랍니다.

[김현문(홍콩)]

역시 수영목사님 멋쟁이십니다. 좋은분들은 오래 오래 사셨으면합니다.