I am Myungsoo. There is one day I shall never forget for the rest of my life. It was mark by a tender , momentary and yet eternal. Which transcended the barriers of different worlds. 

 

One particular morning as I waited in my living room, I thought of the sad duty I had to perform alone as my wife is still in the hospital. My baby son, Taejoon, was still-born. His own umbilical cord had strangled him. 

 

The day before, I had visited my grieving wife at the maternity ward. She told me what to do after she calmed down - to get the white robe stored in her cupboard, to dress Taejoon in it at the mortuary and finally bury him in it. 

 

After a seemingly long wait, the casket people arrived in a saloon car, not a hearse, and they brought along just a small white box. Not a wooden coffin as I had expected. 

 

They took me to the mortuary, where I saw my baby son for the first time. His tiny body was laid on a huge white slab, wearing white hospital garb. 

 

He looked asleep, not dead. His fair baby face was chubby. Stoking my son's face for the first time, and the last, he felt cold to the touch. Much colder than the marble in which he lay. 

 

I kissed his face. It felt even colder. Then I hugged his limp body. It was then that I felt complete despair. The final realization that my son Taejoon was dead. Ah that moment, I felt that a part of me died there with my son. 

 

Remembering his mother's parting gift, I took out his white robe. Touching his flesh made it difficult for me to dress him in that white robe. My head was sent into a vertigo of confusion. I pushed away the helpful hands from the casket people. But I could not carry on and had to let them finish the job. 

 

The white robe was meant for use at Christening. However, the church rule states: no baptism for dead children. With my dead son Taejoon in my arms, I went against the rule. I decided that I would baptize him by myself. 

 

In my confused state, I looked for water. And I found it. Then I baptized my son, clumsily but gently. 

 

Suddenly I felt a strange release. I could let him rest in peace. I was sure that merciful God in heaven has accepted my baptized son, Taejoon. 

 

Goodbye- God be with you.