230721, 최대 약점이 최대 강점이 될 수 있었던 이유

[어른들을 위한 동화 English] 최대 약점이 최대 강점이 될 수 있었던 이유

The Reason why his Achilles’ heel turned into his Strong Point.

 

 

열 살짜리 소년이 교통사고로 왼팔을 잃었다. 하지만 용기를 내서 유도를 배우기로 마음먹었다. 그런데 3개월이 지나도록 사범은 한 가지 동작만 가르쳐줬다. 이해가 되지 않았으나, 사범을 믿고 훈련을 계속했다. 몇 달 후 소년을 대회에 출전시켰다. 놀랍게도 첫 두 경기를 쉽게 이겼다. 세 번째는 조금 더 어려웠지만, 시간이 지나면서 상대 선수가 인내심을 잃고 감정에 흔들리기 시작했다. 무모하게 공격을 가해왔다. 소년은 연마해온 한 동작을 날쌔게 구사해 극적인 승리를 거두고 결승에 진출했다.

A ten-year old boy lost his left arm in a car accident, but he plucked up his courage and made up his mind to learn Judo. However, his master taught him only one skill even for 3 months. He couldn’t understand why, but he had kept training with trust in his master. After a few months, the boy entered a competition. Surprisingly, he won two matches easily. Third match was more difficult, but the opponent became impatient and charged. The opponent rashly delivered an attack against him and deftly used his one move and pulled off his dramatic wins and advanced to the finals.

 

 

결승전 상대는 더 크고, 힘도 훨씬 센 데다, 경험도 더 많은 선수였다. 경기가 시작되자마자 거칠게 밀어붙이며 잡아챘다. 그러자 소년이 다칠 것을 염려한 심판이 경기를 중단시켰다. 결승전을 아예 종료시키고 상대 선수 승리를 선언하려 했다. 그때, 사범이 나서면서 “안 된다”고 소리쳤다. 계속하게 해달라고 했다. 심판과 대회 관계자들은 마지못해 경기를 재개시켰다. 얼마 후 상대 선수가 중대한 실수를 범했다. 방어 자세가 흐트러져 틈을 보였다. 소년은 특유의 한 동작으로 바닥에 메다꽂았고, 상상도 하지 못했던 우승을 차지했다.

The counterpart in the final game was a bigger, much stronger, and more experienced man. Right after the match started, the counterpart wildly pushed and snatched him. Then, a referee was afraid of the boy’s injury, so he called a time-out. He was about to ending the final and declaring his victory. At that moment, the master came out and shouted, “No way!” He requested the match must go on. The staffs and referees were reluctant to resume the match. After a while, the counterpart made a critical mistake. He dropped his guard because his defense posture was in disorder. The boy hit the ground with a unique move and won the championship, which was unimaginable to him.

 

 

돌아오는 길에 소년이 용기를 내 물었다. “어떻게 제가 한 동작만으로 우승을 할 수 있었을까요?” 사범이 “두 가지 이유 때문”이라고 답했다. “첫째는 네가 유도에서 가장 어려운 메치기 동작을 완벽하게 익혔기 때문이고, 둘째는 상대 선수가 네 메치기를 방어할 수 있는 유일한 방법은 네 왼팔을 붙잡고 버티는 것인데, 너에겐 왼팔이 없기 때문”이라고 했다. 소년의 최대 약점이 결정적 순간에 최대 강점이 됐던 것이다.

On his way back, the boy got up his nerve and asked, “How could I win with just one skill?” The master answered “there were two reasons.” “First, you perfectly mastered the throwing move, which is the most difficult move in Judo, secondly, the only way the opponent can defend your throw is to grab your left arm and hold out, but you don’t have it.” The boy’s biggest weakness was changed into his biggest strength at a critical moment.

 

☞ Don’t blame God, the circumstances or yourself for your weakness. Live your life to its fullest. Your weakness can become your strength one day.

약점에 대해 신(神)이나 환경, 너 자신을 탓하지 마라. 삶을 최대한 충실히 살아라. 어느 날 그 약점이 강점이 될 수 있다.

 

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[Reference]:

https://www.chosun.com/culture-life/culture_general/2023/07/21/XCKHJN6TW5HLTNN6DJCNVHOXNI/

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(lose his left arm in a car accident)

(pluck up his courage)

(make up his mind)

(keep training)

(be more difficult)

(become impatient and charged)

(rashly deliver an attack against him)

(deftly use his one move)

(advance to the finals)

(be bigger, much stronger, and more experienced)

(wildly push and snatch him)

(call a time-out)

(be about to declare his victory)

(resume the match)

(make a critical mistake)

(drop his guard)

(win the championship)

(get up his nerve)

(grab your left arm and hold out)

(biggest weakness)

(biggest strength)