百川歸海 One For All, All For One
All these photos are pupils' works describing how much they love to be inside my classes. Most of them describe me as being funny and humorous, while a lot mention they enjoy being taught by me so much. I already made sure no one bribed them before they were asked to do this task when I was also around, handling their scores for the semester... These are works of pupils from only two different classes; I actually teach 7 of them, yet there're so many of wonderful messages that I am very thankful to be their teacher.
雖然手邊有七個班級的學生，這裡面的圖片檔僅僅收錄兩個班級裡面部份作品。
學生們的溢美之辭相當之多，但已確認他們在被交待此課堂作品時，並未接受任何人士賄賂；當時也與他們在同一個教室的我，則在處理他們的學期成績相關事宜，也沒有指導他們該怎麼寫，只見小朋友們在聽到「請寫下或者畫下這個學期的上課心得」之後，振筆疾書，令人感動……
前言 Prelude
法官Oliver Wendell
Holmes, a jurist used to state that曾說：
“The great thing in this world is not so much
where we are, but in what direction we are moving.” 如若嚐試中譯，則此話吾想譯為「世上最為氣壯山河之事，並非我們身處何方，而是我們對於所為何來、欲向何方而去，心知肚明。」
壹 感觸良多 Much to Be Savored
While many people have said they’d like to
volunteer after their retirement, there are many more who’d like to spend the
rest of their lives on personal pleasures and matters. When I see those who
have retired but who are willing to keep going ahead for the needed, I am in
awe, and I respect what they have done to assist the others.
很多人說他們退休之後要當義工，做些有益人群之事，不過，卻有更多人在閒雲野鶴、清心寡欲、事不干己、談笑風聲、或者含飴弄孫中，度過餘生。
我身邊真正實際進行長期義務服務的年長者，屈指可數，所以，當看到年長者為了他人的福祉而奔波來去時，我只有自嘆弗如，緊追他們後車燈的份兒。
Those who are older are just like their
counterparts, those that are younger: fortune and misfortune, happiness and
sorrow are all around. 和年齡較輕者一般，年齡較長者，也有生命及生活中的幸與不幸、快樂與哀愁。
Everyone is flawed indeed. It is, however, when I
see the dedication of those assisting the others that I see the flaws to be
mended by something more noble, grander and incredible. 每個人都有缺陷，但在我的眼中，那些願意花時間為他人福祉而努力的長者，在遠渡重洋、在跨國的、在跨縣市的歷程裡，使自己的缺陷昇華，成為某種讓人吟唱悠悠的詩歌，餘音繞樑，不絕於耳。
I’d coin these elderly who are helping the others
constantly, across the oceans, cities, nations, the INCREDIBLES, like in the
animated movie, for they are utilizing what they have gotten left behind for
some causes larger than anything else.
針對這樣的一群人，我每每想到動畫片「超人特攻隊」，裡面的角色雖然是一家人，雖然血濃於水，但親民愛物、同胞物與本來就可以像那些把我當家人的非洲人一樣，四海一家。
如果我把這些在「超人特攻隊」裡面出現的人物，將他們想像成更為成熟、年長者的話，我就看到身邊這些年長者們，以他們的耐心和毅力，將不可能化為可能，勇往直前。
One manager whom I met by coincidence while taking
an airplane used to tell me that “Many people say they’d like to be volunteers
when they retire. The fact is, like me, I am trapped by my own issues. Many
just keep being like that, either trapped by or indulging in certain matters
that despite of their claim of being volunteers, they would never be volunteering once they are
more ‘free.’ In addition, it requires anyone to be physically fit in order to
serve more. Many elderly are fearful about their physical illnesses.”
一位在我飛往世界各地過程中巧遇的經理人就曾如此說到：
「很多人說他們退休後要作義工，但實際上他們不是被自己過度煩惱的事務給綁住，像我這樣，不然就是被一些享樂給占據了時間，所以到頭來雖然他們信誓旦旦承諾自己會去作義工，會去付出，但最終還是以各種各樣的理由勸退了自己，這其中當然包括一個人的體能、體力、心力，能否負荷這種所謂助益他人之事。」
貳 某種觀察 One Source of Observation
Around the third quarter of 2022, when we finally
went against all odds by the afflictions brought by the pandemic and held a
gathering event for people to share their good deeds, I was stunned by some
remarks going into this direction:
2022年的第三季前後，當人們終於可以暫時揮別疫情所給眾人帶來的困擾時，我們舉辦了一場行俠仗義服務心得分享會，這場根據過去經驗累積所舉辦的分享會，邀請到不少講者及來賓蒞臨現場與會。而令我記憶猶新的一個說法，至今亦是餘音繞樑不絕於耳：
「老師，在場上台說話者，有些人有許許多多的助人良方，但是他們礙於口才或者表達能力，不能引起別人的共鳴，所以，使得其他人雖然想多多了解他們的服務範圍，但是望之卻步，導致不得其門而入……」
“I understand these guests invited are all very
resourceful in terms of assisting the others; however, people cannot see their
values due to their ways of explaining things. When a person’s expression is
not convincing, his or her values cannot be appreciated, however constructively
idealistic their values are.”
假若這是隨隨便便的人所言，我也就姑且聽之；問題是，發話者本身就善心滿滿，急公好義。
所以前輩們所言的「表達力」，果然如此悠關大局!
雖然想了解所謂「做好事」的人並不多，但是側隱之心，人皆有之的情況之下，如何能夠讓人們的側隱之心變成一種常軌、一種利他主義遍滿全身的舉止，以抵禦情緒上那些負面的、侵襲我們的自我矛盾呢?
The problem is, how many people really care about doing good things to the others? There are people who are impatient to listen to anything regarding assisting the others. Somehow, when these words describing people need to be convincing enough to let the messages of helping others spread are said to me by those caring enough for the wellbeing of the others, I was more than stunned.
如果人在表達的過程之中，無法讓其所表達之言語背後的意境傳遞出去，那麼，這種表達也許成為粗魯、野蠻、無解的行為模式。
Basically, these mean people represent their
values that can be conveyed or not by their interpretations of such values. Then,
the pressing question is HOW GOOD ARE WE TALKING TO THE OTHERS ABOUT OUR
VALUES?
如果神經語言論者早已發現人類的溝通，超過百分之九十都仰賴肢體語言，只有不到百分之十是以「說話」來溝通，那麼，真正在「作好事」的人，到底該怎麼與一般並未起而效尤的人士們溝通，使人們共襄盛舉?
Is such a form of communication necessary?
這種溝通和了解的必要性在哪裡?
我們該不該限定自己的價值觀溝通對象? 如果限定，是否造成其他人士沒有機會聽到這樣的聲音及思維? 但是如果不限定，是否造成服務的範圍過大?
Do we have to limit our objects of communications
since we serve certain groups of people voluntarily only? If we limit such,
would it become impossible for the others to understand our values in helping
out? If we do not put any limitations, wouldn’t the scope be too huge?
此時此刻，我想到一個朋友告訴我的話：
「妳不會去認定及談論自己幫助過的人，是因為妳灑下的網是遍布在各地的各種各樣的人士，不管他們想聽、不想聽妳的邏輯，他們會感受到妳所做的事情散發出來的力量，想了解。而這種好奇心被妳這樣的教學者運用之後，產生的豐富元素不是原始設定值可以涵蓋的……」
I remember one remark by a friend of mine. “Those
whom you are helping out would be the largest amount possible in your life,
your career, whether they would like to hear your philosophies or not. In fact,
when they know what you are doing, they naturally would be drawn by you. Since
you have that capability to communicate with people so well, you’d then utilize
any method possible to make people understand more about what it is like to
reach out.”
是的，我知道自己有一點點影響力，可能正巧在於我與人溝通表達的方式；透過這樣的表達方式，我看到的是各種各樣的人都有他們可以讓我切入的點—英語很好的人雖然已經掌握了我在教學的語言，但他們不見得了解深度服務是什麼；已經進行深度服務的人不見得英語能力突出。僅僅這兩個端點，我可以榮幸之至地接觸到許許多多人士，在這兩個端點中間交錯運用方法，使人形成思想、乃至行為模式上的變化。加上其他更多不在上面列示的元素時，就有無限大的可能可以被探索。
Of course I understand I hold certain keys to
influence what and how people think regarding issues like helping out or
altruism. In my professional fields, I can see those who perhaps can master
English better than the others; these people, however, may not know too much
about effectively helping the others. For those who are already voluntarily
doing good things for the societies, they may not have that fluent English
ability to link with foreigners. Hence, just by these two items, my
humanitarian efforts and English ability, I am able to be the catalyst for
people coming into my life as students or audiences listening to my talks or
lectures which, with various methods utilized, hopefully, I can arose people’s
attention in changing their own values and actions for the better and for many.
結論 Conclusion
換言之，針對不同的族群，我一直在想方設法用更有效率、更大數量的方式來「溝通」語言能力及表達能力的展現層面。
In other words, I cannot afford to confine my
service attitude and action to any one single group, under this fact that
perhaps efficient communications can be on my side.
其目標只有一個：讓人們感受到自己可以是一個平和的個體，僅僅只是針對身邊的人都可以溫言良語。
These effective communications lead to one thing
and one goal specifically: to allow people understand or realize that each of
us can be a peaceful existence that we are able to bring peace to the others
around us.
這裡面卻有很重要的課題：
我們如何使得人本身的情緒衝突減低?
Among this task, there is one major question:
How can we lower the emotional confrontations
situating inside one’s mind?
如何使人在生活中對萬事萬物都能夠平靜以對?
How is it possible that people can be motivated to
peacefully handle issues in our daily lives?
假若科學性質的研究已經証實，利他主義及利他行為可以使人產生抗壓力，尤其對抗自己內在的衝突，那麼，我們如何在教育中落實利他主義?
When scientific proofs are evident that thoughts
and actions brought by altruism can make people pressure-resistant, so much so
that people can confront their inner conflicts, how do we make altruism an
important subject inside the education system?
一些在日常生活中看到的事情，往往令我也十分驚懼於人的情緒變化之大……
Many things in our daily lives can indicate how
emotional people can become.
For example:
像是：
因為搶公用玩具而失控的學生；
Pupils fighting for the toys in public areas but
end up fighting with each other…
因為學生持續犯同一個問題而失控的教師；
Teachers who get emotionally disturbed (or even
shout at) students who repeatedly make the same mistakes…
因為別人道路違規而失控的駕駛人；
Drivers getting upset upon seeing others violating
the traffic regulations…
因為鄰居的樹長到我家前面而失控的某位阿伯；
An elderly male yelling at his neighbor whose
trees have now grown into his backyard…
因為戰爭無家可歸而失去希望的流離失所者；
Displaced people as a result of war affairs losing hope…
因為全球暖化造成動植物生長不調而失控的農人……
Farmers who are angry under the circumstances
where crops cannot grow well as a result of global warming…
太多太多事情可以造成我們的忿忿不平乃至於怒火中燒
Many things can help our inner mechanism deliver
such anger, frustrations and so on.
我們如何使得人本身的情緒衝突減低?
How can we lower the emotional conflicts inside
these people in the ordinary days?
With these in mind, I am pushing myself to
communicate with as many as possible. It is only through the understanding of
their disappointments, frustrations, losses, that new grounds can be observed.
懷抱著針對這些事情細節上的考慮，我還是必須持續與更多不同人士溝通，因為惟有了解他們的失望、挫敗、損傷等等，才有可能讓我們一起看到更加多元化的新視野。
Who says I am merely ONE PERSON? 誰說我只有一個人呢?
Since I cannot truly explain how many people have
been touched by me in their heart, I personally know there are just so many out
there who hold certain parts of my values or actions, too, in their lives which
they are destined to bring more peacefulness to.
正是因為我無法完全解釋到底自己曾經感動過的人群身處何方，所以我不認為自己是一個人，因為在任何時間、任何地點，我清楚明白的是，有人承接了我的某種思維邏輯及行為模式，正在經營其更加平和的生命及走向。
「2023年我們單位也還要繼續辦第二屆服務分享會的話，這種主持人的角色是終身職，所以非妳莫屬。」
“You will be the hostess in 2023 when this group of ours share with the others about good things we have done. This kind of
role is for a lifetime. You are the only one capable of doing so.”
聽到這樣的話，連到昨天部份學生們寫完的本學期反饋，其實我該說的，是在這些嚴肅的議題上竟然我會產生出些許幽默感，讓一大票小小學生變成我的課程中的忠實粉絲，認為「上課很好玩，因為老師很好玩」……
When I heard this, I begin to think about my
elementary school students’ reflections towards what they have learned during
this semester. I never expect that by returning to the pupils, I would be
labeled as “Hope is with much fun…”
這令重回初等教育現場實驗的我自己大吃一驚之外，我相信我的課題在未來的階段，會更加變成：如何在服務工作中帶來更多歡笑感……
It makes me very surprised. Based on this, I am
sure that my topic in the future will become “How to bring senses of humor in
the humanitarian, voluntary services?”
這應該正好就回答了這樣的提問吧……
「老師妳為什麼總是要用跳舞來處罰不乖的學生呢? 不是應該嚴厲面對的嗎? 因為跳舞讓大家太輕鬆，會忍不住在內心狂笑但又不敢在妳安靜的教室裡面笑出聲音來呀……」
This may be an answer towards this question.
“Hope, why do you punish the students by asking
them to dance? Shouldn’t they face strict preaching or something like, for
dancing only make those who would want to laugh out loud smile crazily inside in
quiet classes like those of yours?”
可是，為什麼處罰一定要是嚴厲的呢?
The problem is, why should punishment be strict?
就像現在我的腦海中有一個畫面……如果我在偏鄉的中學學生們，他們的運動項目一直進步的情況下，安排一個特殊的場合，讓他們到我幾百位的小學生面前，介紹他們和我全然無所知的運動項目，會給他們彼此帶來怎樣的成長呢?
Well, in my mind, a picture surfaces just now… If
the high school students whom I have been exposed to stand in front of my hundreds of
pupils to show them what form of sports that they play but neither my pupils
nor I know anything about it, what would this event bring to everyone involved?
是的，我一直跳TON……
Nonetheless, who says there is only one road, one
option? If there is such legal terms in any books of law, the jurist would not
have to express (referred to at the beginning of this work) “The great thing in
this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.”
Right?
可是誰說只有一條路、只有一種選項呢? 有這種法律條文的規定的話，那位法界人士也不必說出這句「世上最為氣壯山河之事，並非我們身處何方，而是我們對於所為何來、欲向何方而去，心知肚明。」(在文章一開始所示的)話了吧……
不是嗎?
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