감동이 있는 선물

감동이 있는 선물

Let’s change the tone a little bit and get into a nice, light story—a unique event that I have kept in my heart and will always remember. It is times like this following tidbit of a story that make all the difference in the world. It doesn’t involve possessions or things, but human relationships, which I find most important in life. 

Having taught in the same department at the university for about ten years, it has been my home just as much as it has been my job and employment. I have taught about 5,000 students in total over the years. They mean the world to me, and I have tried to keep a relationship (friendly, at least) with many of them, even after they graduated. 

And this story revolves around a student (whose name shall remain secret, per her request-but we shall call her ‘Happy’) who took my classes the first and second semesters I ever taught at the university about nine years before.  

Happy graduated and promised that we would remain friends.  

Well… the years passed and I didn’t hear from her until one fateful day.  

She messaged me and asked for my help with applying to grad school in Seoul. There was a very good and well-known school for studying English Education and TESOL. If a Korean wanted to do higher level studies in one of those two subjects, they all apply to that grad school. When Happy messaged me, she told me her name, but it was a very common name in Korea, so I didn’t exactly remember who she was. But, I would have helped her regardless. I never mind giving help to those around me especially my former students, so I told her to come to my office on a certain day and I would help her.  

On the set day, I was in my office writing as used and a knock came to the door. In came a very recognizable smile and a face that I knew very well. I instantly remembered her. I helped her with her applications and essays, checking the grammar and content, and I helped her with her admission interviews. She left, promising to contact me. About two weeks later, she was accepted and she wanted to get me a present. I told her to get me a book.  I like books ―I really love books. She came to my office again about two weeks later and presented me with a Bible—a Marine's Bible. She said, "You always read the Bible these days and I remember you said you were in 해병."  I was surprised and pleased and a little confused.

(This is the same Bible mentioned in the previous post)

'해병' is the Korean word for 'Marines.' I talk about the Bible on Facebook a lot (she is a Facebook friend) and all Korean men have to do two years of compulsory military service, so it is common to talk about the military among young Korean guy students.  I looked long at the Bible and them.  I laughed and told her, "No. I almost joined 해군 (Navy) when I was 17, but I didn't."

She turned red and blushed. I told her I was surprised she remembered me talking about the military because I had talked about it to one student in one class at one time. She must have over heard it. I told her that the gift was awesome and I would treasure it forever because there is a good story behind it, and because she gave me such a thoughtful gift. Nowadays, when I read this Bible on the bus or subway, I always remember Happy and how kind-hearted she was and how we both affected each other. This marine Bible is a Bible for general reading while waiting to arrive at my destination. I don’t like being glued to my smartphone, wasting time with mindless games and reading about peoples’ mundane lives on social media sites. I really like to read the Bible, but it is hard to do scriptural studies on the bus or subway. A handy little red Bible is great, and it holds a lot of memories. Plus, I can always remember the soldiers who sacrificed their lives and how their duty helped bring about the modern Korea that I live in and have built a life in.

However, I was changing jobs and ended up misplacing the Bible, probably donating it to the campus library. It is possible. The Humanities building was being renovated some time before, so the professors needed to box up all the stuff in their offices. My office mate and I didn't feel like packing up all our books, so we called up the library and said we had a lot of books to give. Turns out I accidentally donated my small sized quad to the library. Oh well. At least, some future university student has easy access to an English language, small sized quad. 

Anyway, I got on the Internet to get a new Marine Bible, but found that the Law Enforcement Bible was cheaper and so I purchased it. I didn't quite remember where I was in the Bible, so I should probably just start over. 

In my opinion, giving people Bibles or a +The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Quad or a Triple Combination or a Book of Mormon shows more of a deeper feeling for that person A book is a good present and the receiver will more than likely hold onto a book over the alternative, which is usually a pamphlet. Giving some a flyer or a pamphlet or a little paper cutout with some phone numbers on it is like giving the person a an empty coke can and asking them to throw it away. I mean, books are much better, and can reciprocate a pay-it-forward moment...potentially. 

I intend to just read through the whole Bible like a novel. Maybe, I am alone in this idea, but I don't like verse and chapter numbers in the scriptures and I don't agree that the little chapter summaries should be there. The Bible should be read as a whole, not as random verses, sometimes taken completely out of context or misinterpreted somehow. Chronicles one and two, Leviticus and Deuteronomy, some of the minor prophets, etc....their contributions to the Scriptures and the overall theology that God wanted brought to the world goes generally ignored by the lay believer most of the time. I mean, Numbers was put in the Bible for a reason, but it seems lonely these days, often being put into a corner and forgotten. When I was teaching the youth about Moses, one of the young girls asked, "There is a book in the Bible just about Numbers?" I was flabbergasted. How could she not know about the Scriptures, even after many years? 

I am not trying to be condescending or anything, but since God wanted something particular in the Bible, don't you think that we should read it all and pondering it all with an open heart?