우유 한잔의 치료비 
19세기 미국, 정확하게는 1880년 여름, 가가호호를 방문해서 이것저것을 파는 가난한 고학생 젊은이가 있었습니다.
그렇게 하루 종일 방문판매를 다녔고, 저녁에 되었을 때에는 지쳤고, 배가 고팠습니다.
주머니에는 다임(10센트) 동전 하나 밖에는 없었고, 그것으로는 적당한 것을 먹을 수도 없었습니다. 다음 집에 가서는 먹을 것을 좀 달라고 해야지 하면서 발걸음을 옮겼고, 그 집 문을 두드렸습니다.
이윽고 문이 열리고, 예쁜 소녀가 나왔습니다. 젊은이는 부끄러워서 배고프다는 말을 못했고 다만 물 한잔만 달라고 했습니다. 그러나 그 소녀는 이 사람이 배가 고프다는 사실을 알았고, 그래서 큰 컵에 우유 한 잔을 내왔습니다.
젊은이는 그 우유를 단숨에 마셨고, 새로운 힘이 나는 듯 했습니다.
그리고는 얼마를 드려야 하냐고 물었습니다. 소녀는 그럴 필요가 없다고, ‘엄마는 친절을 베풀면서 돈을 받지 말라고 하셨다‘고 말했습니다.
(Mother has taught us never accept pay for a kindness)
젊은이는 이 말에 큰 깨우침을 얻었습니다. 그로부터 십 수 년이 지난 후, 그 소녀는 중병에 걸렸고, 그 도시의 병원에서는 감당할 수 없는 병이라고 했습니다. 다행히 큰 병원의 의사는 큰 도시의 전문의를 불러오면 고칠 수 있다고 했고, 그래서 오게 된 의사는 하워드 켈리(1858-1943년) 박사,
그 소녀에게 우유 한 잔을 얻어 마셨던 바로 그 젊은이였습니다. 그때 방문 판매를 했던 그 고학생 하워드 켈리는 산부인과 분야에서는 독보적인 존재로 명문 존스 홉킨스 의과대학의 창설 멤버이기도 했습니다. 하워드 켈리 박사는 환자를 보고 한 번에 그녀임을 알아보았고, 지금까지 개발된 모든 의료기술을 동원해서 그녀를 치료했습니다.
결국 부인과 질환으로 상당히 힘든 케이스였음에도 불구하고 마침내 치료에 성공했습니다. 하워드 켈리 박사는 치료비 청구서를 보냈습니다. 환자는 엄청나게 많이 나올 치료비를 생각하며 청구서를 뜯었습니다. 청구서에는 이렇게 씌어 있었습니! 다.
“‘한 잔의 우유로 모두 지불되었음‘(Paid in full with one glass of milk)”
A GLASS OF MILK
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his
way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was
hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the
next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman
opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! . She thought he
looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so
slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?”
You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never
to accept pay for a kindness.”
He said … “Then I thank you from my heart.”
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically,
but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to
give up and quit.
Many year’s later that same young woman became critically ill. The
local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city,
where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the
name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.
Immediately he rose and
went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to
> save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
>
> After a long struggle, the battle was won.
>
> Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him
> for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and
> the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure
> it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she
> looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
> She read these words …
>
> “Paid in full with one glass of milk”
>
> (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
>
> Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You,
> God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands.”
>
> There’s a saying which goes
> something like this: Bread cast on the water comes back to you. The
> good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the
> least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will
> have made the world a better place – And, after all, isn’t that what
> life is all about?
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his
way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was
hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the
next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman
opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! . She thought he
looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so
slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?”
You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never
to accept pay for a kindness.”
He said … “Then I thank you from my heart.”
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically,
but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to
give up and quit.
Many year’s later that same young woman became critically ill. The
local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city,
where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the
name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.
Immediately he rose and
went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to
> save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
>
> After a long struggle, the battle was won.
>
> Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him
> for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and
> the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure
> it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she
> looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
> She read these words …
>
> “Paid in full with one glass of milk”
>
> (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
>
> Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You,
> God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands.”
>
> There’s a saying which goes
> something like this: Bread cast on the water comes back to you. The
> good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the
> least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will
> have made the world a better place – And, after all, isn’t that what
> life is all about?
글보낸이: 김광철
