歲月美好、美好如是 LOVELY MOMENTS FORMING OUR TIME
這是Sisi姊的家庭之舊照片
她就是希望一場絕妙的音樂會可以在對岸舉辦
並積極促成此事以達更大助人效益的那位女性企業家
This is Sisi’s family; she is mentioned in this piece of work as the female businessperson wishing to hold a superb concert in China due to our humanitarian gestures.
This is a work I draft before Sisi brings her good friend,
Dr. Yuking Chou Brandenburgh,
for a visit.
Well, this piece of work is around 10,000
words once more. Originally I am merely thinking about writing a short letter
to a former student; it turns out that there are so many things to be said…
What can I say?! I can only hope that you
also enjoy such rides taking you to the highest and lowest of the global
village, whereas your mind is as tranquil as that of the flowers in full
blooms.
嗯，這篇作品又超過了一萬字。本來我只是想寫一封給一位舊學生的短信，結果卻發現，有太多太多想說的話了……
我還能說些什麼呢？！
我只希望您也能享受這樣的人生旅程——帶走遍這個世界的山峰與峽谷，同時，內心依然能如美妙的花朵般寧靜而恬適到恰如其份。
Hello Brian,
You would not know this: at the later stage
of the Lunar New Year holiday in Taiwan, when I drove pass the region where
your grandma and parents live, where your “old” home is, I saw you driving a vehicle
with the color of dark grey or dark. You walked outside your vehicle to
purchase something. Immediately I recognized the person being you, though we’ve
not seen each other for so many years. After that, I figure I need to write you
a letter, thanking you and your family for all the wonderful things you have jointly
brought into my life while informing you certain things I have found.
What are the wonderful things you have all
brought? There are quite a few; it is through these things, I have learned
those things I have found.
你好 Brian，
你可能不知道：在台灣農曆新年假期的後期，當我開車經過你奶奶和父母居住的那個區域，也就是你「舊家」所在的地方時，我看到你開著一輛深色的車。買完東西的你正要返回車上開車。我立刻認出那個人就是你，儘管我們已經很多年沒有見面了。之後，我覺得我應該寫一封信給你，一方面感謝你和你的家人曾經為我的人生帶來的種種美好，另一方面也想告訴你一些我所領悟到的事情。
你們帶給我的美好，其實有很多；也正是透過這些歷程，我學會了我所體悟的一些事情。
The first one is your tolerant demeanor
which has made it possible for me to teach you at the moment. Understandably to
myself but not to the others during that phase of my life, I can feel my
emotions surging, like those written in books when people meditate to face
themselves. At that period of my life, your parents, especially your Dad,
constantly asks,
“Have you taught people their age?” I tell
them YES, yet I have not become face to face with learners who are pre-teens
for such a long time, so much so that from time to time, I would become quite
demanding regarding vocabularies and/or sentences in the world of English you need
to learn. In my memory, though, you are accepting your “destiny,” which is your
parents want you to learn English from me. Your acceptance is with that forbearing
attitude often surprises me. I believe the characteristics in your personality
is from your parents who have kindly chatted with me from time to time, especially
during those years you’re one of my students—we discuss about many things,
regarding how they manage your family as a whole, their expectations in the two
of you, their knowing of each other and building the family, your grandma’s story
and so on. To know them on a more personal basis has brought me much good
fortune, including renting a property from them for some very little amount of
cash, having a student of mine to stay with me in that property of theirs for
quite a few months before we go on our separate ways, being invited to take a
look at some properties they highly recommend at moments of my own crises, knowing
your parents’ ideology of hiring me is to, according to them,
“Nourish the voluntary gestures you have
conducted worldwide.”
第一個由你們的家庭所帶給我的美好，就是你那種包容、寬厚的性格，使我當時能夠教導到那樣的你，而我們之間教學相長的歷程，無所間斷。是時，我其實能感覺到自己(伴隨自己所設定的人生目標而來)的某種狀態，仍在未定之天，就像書中描述人們在閉關冥想、面對自我時的狀態一樣。這一點對我自己來說是很清楚的事，但周遭的人卻不盡然能夠體會。在那段時間，你的父母，尤其是你的父親常常因為你們兄弟兩與我之間的互動而詢問我：
「王老師妳應該比較少教這個年齡層的學生吧？」
實則，我確然已經久久沒有面對小學階段的學生，因此不免有嚴格要求的現象，而我的教學手法，應該被你們那位睿智的父親，看出哪裡不對勁。但在我的記憶中，你卻是如此接受著父母給你的期望，也就是他們希望你能跟我學習英語。而你那種帶著忍耐與包容的態度，常常讓我感到驚訝。我相信你性格中的這些特質，源自於你那對秉性善良、待人謙和的父母。在你們兄弟作為我的學生的那些年裡，我們時常懇切交談，不論從你父母對你們兄弟的期待、彼此相識與建立家庭的過程、你奶奶的故事等等等等。
能夠更深入地認識他們，對我來說是一種極大的福份：
包括我曾以低價租屋租賃和你的父母有所相關的房子，甚至我的其中一位曾與我到東非服務的女性學生還在那裡與我同住好一段時間，之後我們才又各自搬離該處；
在我於人生中由於相關於我的職志方面事宜，而面臨某些挑戰之時，你的父母邀請我去看看他們所推薦的房產；
以及我理解到，你的父母聘請我為你們教學的理念是——用他們的話說——
「是支持王老師妳在世界各地所展現的自發善意行動，所需的款項，因為這些事情必定有用錢的必要」。
Quite some later, I would know that from
the very beginning, your entire family knows many sides of my personal story,
thanks to some little birds informing you of the details, little birds existing
in between our social circles; however, never in front of me would any of you
make any comments. Not a parent myself who cannot observe how one particular
child grows into adolescence then into adulthood, I have had the pleasure to
work with different learners with whom I have almost astoundingly discovered
that,
“Students ALSO GROW OLDER and OLDER each
day!”
過了一段時間之後，我才知道其實從一開始，你們全家就已經透過不少「側面消息」而了解屬於我個人的許多面向，但你們並未在我面前說過些什麼，此節讓我感到你們家人對他人的尊重、重視。
雖然我自己不是父母，無法長期觀察一個孩子從童年、到青少年、再到成人的成長歷程，但我有幸與許多學生教學相長，而在這樣的過程當中便不難發現：
「學生每天都在成長！」
For those whom I have started to teach when
they are in their middle-age or twilight years, that kind of “growth” is not
that “speedy.” For people like you, however, it is a totally different story,
as transformations take place rapidly. That is the reason I am absolutely
amazed when I notice even the person who used to live with me at your parents’
property has transformed, after all: all my students are changing. Of course,
just like anyone who has spent time with learners of generations who are much
more inexperienced than us, I would like to see such people become more mature
and that they, too, like you, can be gifted with that tenderness and kindness. Nonetheless,
I wonder whether you are able to see your own light shining through when you are
a little boy visiting east Africa with me. Moreover, I wonder if you know how
you can carry on living your life with these colorful elements sowing into your
heart and soul long, long time ago by your incredible parents. When I see many
students’ metamorphoses, alongside with that of mine which apparently is affected
by this sheer energy, I would recall your Dad’s observation back then.
“Brain should be able to share with the others
what he has seen there in Africa!”
當然，就像任何與年輕世代相處的人一樣，我希望他們能變得更成熟，也能像你一樣擁有溫柔與善良。但我也在想：你是否看得見你內在的光？那個曾經跟我一起去東非的小男孩？你是否知道，你的父母早已在你心中種下了那些豐富而美好的元素，讓你能帶著它們走過人生？
當我看到學生們的蛻變，也看到自己因這些能量而改變時，我會想起你爸爸當時說的一句話：
「Brian 應該要能夠把他在非洲看到的分享給別人！」
我非常同意。
I cannot agree more. In the meanwhile,
through those many, many students whom I have met, they have also, just like
you and your brother, taught me an important lesson, that PERSONAL GROWTH TAKES
TIME & EFFORTS. THIS FORM OF PERSONAL GROWTH HAS ALMOST NOTHING TO DO WITH
ANY OTHER FACTORS LIKE GENDER, RACE, AGE, AND SO ON; IT IS A KIND OF DETERMINATION
TO MAKE ONE HIM/HERSELF A BETTER PERSON. To make one a better person, one has
to have the willingness to accept or even practice different things which seem
to be too pioneering in his or her own eyes; on top of such acceptances and
practices, one even has to practice doing something good to the others,
considering about the fact at the later stage of his life, Maslow adds one last
category onto his theory of human hierarchy of needs—Self-Transcendence, that
search for meaning, when the most meaningful of all the meanings human beings
are searching for is from the kindness we have shown to the others. After learning
this side of the theory, that there is Self-Transcendence, by the fact that the
more top of those human needs, the fewer people would want to attain, as,
according to social scientists, some people simply want to avoid any burdens as
a result of aiming too high. That is why hereby I have mentioned “Personal
growth takes time and efforts.”
同時，透過這麼多學生，我也學到一件重要的事：
個人的成長需要時間的粹鍊，也需要不斷精進與努力。
這種成長幾乎與性別、種族、年齡等因素無關，而是一種讓自己變得更好的決心。
要成為更好的人，我們需要願意接受甚至實踐那些對自己而言過於前衛的、讓我們必須離開自己舒適圈的事物；更進一步，我們還要願意為他人做出善行。因為在人生後期，馬斯洛在其所提出之需求層次理論中加入了「自我超越」——也就是尋找意義。
而對於人類而言最有意義的事情之一，就是對他人具體展現我們的善行義舉。
然而，在馬斯洛需求理論裡面而言，越高層次的需求，願意追求的人越少之又少，再怎麼說，承擔「目標過高」都會為人帶來似乎數之不盡的負擔與壓力，而這也正是個人的成長需要時間的粹鍊，也需要不斷精進與努力的主因。
An international best-seller used to write
a term “emotional loser” in his work, and it has drawn so much of my attention.
When this term is applied, the writer refers to someone who’s unwilling to try
some sorts of new relationships through connections with the other people
because to stay at where this person used to be is very safe, that the person
does not have to risk the fact s/he can be unfavored, ridiculed, and/or even
accused by any or even many. Truly, it may be risky to mingle with anyone in
this world; nonetheless, new findings and literature published have suggested
human beings are truly kind enough to be different from the other species, that
we enjoy reciprocal relationships from early on. Through our process of becoming
more and more in our society, however, we are “fine tuned” to be tested,
institutionalized, and directed, so much so we have forgotten the beauty of
interacting with the others can bring us far more satisfactions than many other
material possessions we can have.
有一本國際暢銷書作者曾提出一個詞彙：
「在情緒上過度自我保護」。
這個詞彙指的是那些不願與新認識的他人建立任何關係的人，畢竟，待在原本的舒適圈是安全的，同時也不需要承擔被拒絕、嘲笑、或被人指責及謾罵的風險。確實，與人互動，風險重重；但新的研究顯示，人類其實天生以來就有良善的因子，並且從很早開始就享受互惠關係。然而，在工業化、現代化、社會化的過程中，我們不斷必須透過考試、制度化、及他人引導的方式，在社會中擁有安全感、占有一席之地，所以逐漸遺忘與他人良質互動所帶來的滿足，遠勝於諸多物質擁有。
試想，如果我們與他人的互動都帶著為了彼此更加美好的意義與目的，那麼我們所能創造出的成果，也將空前絕後般光采奪目。
Just imagine, then, when we socialize with
the others, the activities are with purposes and meanings for the betterment of
each and every person, the sorts of productivities we will be able to acquire
which are aforehand impossible. This would then turn to the second aspect I have
benefited from you, that you would be willing to, at a very tender age, venture
into the unknown for some sorts of living standards which can be very hard for
your peers to have imagined. Apparently, you are not used to total darkness,
which is why when you’re there in east Africa, you sleep with the lights on. Other
than that, you are not used to that sort of climatic situation, nor would you
take water avidly, resulting your constant nose bleeding scarring everybody. Warmly
welcomed by the locals, here and there, due to your sweet personality, you’re
adopted as every person’s son. Despite of the fact when I am so crammed by you
during our onward flight from Asia, that your already very large body squeezing
that of mine in the very “densely populated” cabin, on our seats, when your
head twists like slow-motioned tornados in your deep sleep, during our
homebound flight I’d be able to see you laugh from time to time, not that
intense anymore.
試著想像一下，當我們與他人互動時，我們的各種行為都帶著讓每一個人變得更好的目的與意義，那麼我們將能夠獲得的那種「生產力」，將是過去完全無法想像的。這也就帶出了我從你美好的家庭及美好的你身上受益的第二個面向：在那麼年幼的時候，你就願意踏入未知，去追尋某種生活標準，而那是你的同齡人幾乎難以想像的。
很明顯地，你並不習慣完全的黑暗，這也是為什麼當你身在東非時，你是開著燈睡覺的。除此之外，你也不適應那樣的氣候環境，也不會主動大量喝水，導致你經常流鼻血，讓大家都不停地膽戰心驚。而當地人因為你友善的個性而熱情地歡迎你，把你當成自己的孩子收養一般對待。儘管在我們從亞洲出發的去程航班上，你那已經超大的身體在那個「人口極度密集」的機艙座位中，使我感到腹背受敵，尤其當你熟睡時，頭還會像個慢動作龍捲風一樣左左右右、前前後不停扭動；但在我們回程的航班上，我卻能看到你時不時地笑了，不再那麼劇烈了。
And this time when I see you on the street
as if every single motion of that road of your learning English and going to east
Africa with me, freezes, do I feel the laughter from you as you are handling
your daily, trivial matters? Perhaps you are a better candidate answering this
question. Somehow I still remember your tone of total despair at the front desk
of Emirate in Nairobi where we should check in, but are delayed by many seemingly
independent issues such as our host families spending a lot of time to dress
themselves up, wash the car, and being stopped constantly by police on our way
to the airport, so that when we finally arrive there, all the check-in desks
are closed. With your English level still rudimentary, you get the impression
of the energy I have applied to negotiate with the staff members inside that
airport to allow us to proceed with check-in even when all those counters are
closed. Your feelings of disappointment comes from the fact you cannot keep
playing cowboy handling sheep, goats, cattle anymore when you are back onto our
land. For at least one moment, you’re very happy, asking me,
“So we can stay here longer, right, that
all check-in desks are closed?!”
而這一次，當我在街上看到你時，彷彿你那段學習英文、以及與我一同前往東非的道路上的每一個動作都凝結了下來——那麼，在你處理日常那些微不足道的小事時，我是否還能感受到你的笑容呢？
或許這個問題你自己最適合回答。
只是，我仍然記得你在奈洛比的阿聯酋航空櫃檯前那種徹底絕望的語氣——那是我們要搭機返台的CHECK IN之處，卻因為許多看似彼此無關的問題而延誤，例如寄宿家庭花了很多時間打扮他們自己、把好不容易要到機場的車洗到閃閃發亮，以及，我們在前往機場途中不斷被不同警方攔下，導致我們最終抵達時，所有報到櫃檯都已關閉。當時你的英語程度仍然比較基礎，但你應該是感受到老師在機場內與工作人員交涉時費盡心力，試圖讓我們在全部櫃檯都完整關閉後，仍能順利完成報到。
你的失落，其實來自於你再也不能像在那裡一樣扮演牛仔、照顧綿羊、山羊和牛隻。
所以，在看到全部的櫃台都關閉起來的時候，至少有那麼一刻，你是非常開心的，你眉開眼笑地問我：
「所以我們可以多留一點時間對吧？因為所有報到櫃檯都關了？！」
At that moment, of course you cannot
imagine how desperate your folks are when they hear you have bleeding nose
almost all the time. To this day, nor would I be able to imagine that part when
your parents walk into the then place where I live, talk to me, and decide to
purchase plane tickets for you right away to be flying with me, claiming,
“It’s important for a person like Brian to
take a look at the world. After all, a male needs to handle many things.”
在那一刻，你當然無法想像，當你的奶奶和父母聽到你幾乎一直在流鼻血時，是多麼心急如焚。直到今天，我也還是無法想像或者完整還原那一幕——
你的父母走進我當時居住的地方，與我談話，然後立刻決定為你買機票，讓你和我一起飛行。
他們說：
「像Brian這樣的人，很重要的是要去看看世界。畢竟他不是個女兒，如果是女兒，我們的教養方式就會有所不同。是兒子的話，就該出去打拼、看看世界。」
So far, how have you handled your things in
life, I wonder, especially after your grandma whom I see and visit last time tells
me that
“Brian’s Dad is with much white hair now,
not young anymore.”
到目前為止，我不禁好奇，你是如何面對著自己的人生呢？
尤其是在我上次探望你的奶奶時，她告訴我：
「Brian的爸爸現在白頭髮多了，不再年輕了。」
You see, Brian, gradually I need to realize
that not merely do my students become more mature, their parents walk onto the
same path. Under such circumstances, I am positive you get the picture when I see
there are people who have chosen to be kind to one another, just like what your
parents have practiced, despite of limitations these people would have to face,
people would like to retain their generosity. The limitations I have had as a
person educating the others may be that I can be from one box only, not all
those different boxes I can find at different areas of the world; from that box
only, I may have one angle to look at the world, offer my students that angle,
and feel content since that is the best of me. Shall I not being inspired by
your entire family, your amazing brother included, as well as those surrounding
your family, I would never have walked onto the path for a challenge I put to
myself to face learners who are younger in our part of the world via going away
from my adult learners. The decision making process is not that hard, but to
really do it is not that simple. It is rather amazing, though, that through
these past half a decade or so, with such intensive training I have set for
myself, currently, when I face the young learners, I seem to come to a different
level completely, that I have learned to appreciate such ages of learners even
more, and I generally know how to handle the majority of them while they are
delighted to be handled by me.
你看，Brian，我逐漸明白，不只是我的學生在成長，他們的父母也走在同一條路上。在這樣的情況下，當我看到有些人選擇即使面對種種限制和關卡，仍然善待彼此，就像你的父母所實踐的家庭生活或良善之舉那樣，而我相信你也能理解我所看到的畫面，而心有戚戚。
至於我作為一名教育他人的人，我的限制或許在於，如果我只來自於同一個視野，而不是某種廣闊的視野，那麼，我只能從某種角度觀看這個世界，並把這樣的角度提供給我的學生，然後，我會感到心滿意足，不論如何，我已經「奉獻出了」我的全部。
而如果不是受到你整個美好的家庭的啟發，包括你那位也十分出色的弟弟、以及你們的大家族、乾爸乾媽之類人士與他們的孩子等等，你們身邊的每一個人，我不會走上這條看似艱困的自我挑戰的道路，也就是我選擇暫別我的那些成人學習者，去大量面對兩岸更加年幼的、於中小學就讀的學習者。也許要做這個決定不難，但真正要實踐出來卻並不簡單。然而令人驚訝的是，在過去這大約五年的密集自我訓練之下，如今當我面對年幼的學習者時，我彷彿達到了一個完全不同的層次——我更加欣賞這個年齡層的、如你們當時和我學習期間般大小的學生，也更加知道如何應對他們，在此同時，他們也樂於被我引導。
Comfortably, therefore, so far, at this new
city where I have put myself into one of its schools to generally help as the
student’s original English teacher suffers from severe physical conditions, I have
met and discussed with people who have inspired me tremendously when I have
carried so many people’s stories from everywhere, your fabulous ones included. These
people are invited by me to entre the current classroom where I mainly teach. At
least, these people include a successful business person and her son, this
business person’s good friend who is a musician, two ladies from Tanzania, next
to Kenya where you have officially entered in east Africa, and a gentleman who
has traveled once to east Africa doing similar things you’re doing years ago. The
businessperson, Sisi, not only brings her son with her to visit me, but also
her friend, an outstanding pianist, for our common ground on doing something
wonderful for our societies and the world. That gentleman traveling to Kenya
would be responsible for those two African ladies to land in my classroom where
we talk about their upbringings, education here in Taiwan, their future plans and
so on.
Remembering your intelligent Mom’s words, I
recall she asks “Teacher Hope, do you feel more at ease with foreigners than we
people our own?” I guess she sees the way I sing the following song in front of
the Kenyans in a footage.
因此，目前在這座新的城市裡，我把自己投入到其中一所學校，暫時協助教學活動，因為原本的英語老師身體狀況嚴重不佳。在這裡，我遇見並與許多人交流，他們給了我極大的啟發，而我也帶著來自各地的故事，包括你那些精彩的經歷。我邀請這些人走進我主要授課的教室。其中包括一位成功的女企業家和她的兒子、這位企業家的好友（一位音樂家）、兩位來自坦尚尼亞的女士（就在當時我們的身處之地），以及一位也曾前往東非、做著類似你所做之事、並且精益求精的先生。
這位企業家名為Sisi，她不僅帶著兒子來拜訪我，還帶來她那位鋼琴造詣卓越的朋友，因為我們都有一個共同目標：為社會與世界做些美好的事情。
而那位曾前往肯亞的先生，則促成那兩位非洲女士來到這個位居於台灣的，我所教學的教室，我們一起談論她們的成長背景、在台灣的教育，以及她們未來的計畫等等。
我想起你那位聰明的母親曾問我：
「Hope老師，你是不是比起我們，更自在地與外國人相處？」
我想她是看到了我在一段影片中，在肯亞人面前唱歌的樣子。
那首歌叫做《Let’s Talk About Love》，由世界知名的天后席琳・狄翁演唱，歌詞是：
「無論我走到哪裡，走過多少地方
每一個微笑，都是我未曾見過的新地平線
世界各地都有不同的人
不同的面孔，不同的名字
但有一種真實的情感提醒我，我們其實都一樣
讓我們來談談愛(心)吧」
http://www.andersonmusic.idv.tw/lyric/l31.htm
The song is called “Let’s Talk About Love,”
sung by the world-famous diva Celine Dion, the lyrics goes like
“Everywhere I go, all the places that I've
been
Every smile is a new horizon on a land I've never seen
There are people around the world
Different faces different names
But there's one true emotion that reminds me we're the same
Let's talk about love”
Gladly, one of my students introduce a book
to me and a group of people; he is not aware I read the book before, not to
purchase it to be with me at home, but inside a bookstore opening for 24 hours
in Taipei.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poY_iEjCWOI
https://greenhornfinancefootnote.blogspot.com/2021/08/humankind-hopeful-history.html?m=1
很高興的是，有一位學生向我和一群人介紹了一本書；他不知道我早已讀過這本書的原文版本，當時我並非將其買下，而是在台北市一間幾乎全年無休的書店裡面讀罷。
以原文閱讀該書時，我對作者提出的所有證據雖然十分佩服，但並不感到過於驚訝，因為我本身就是一個活生生的例子——人性的光輝確實存在，只要在正當適切的引導之下，人性的光輝會由於彼此的互動而相得益彰，只要看看老師身邊的人，便是如此，包括你和你那一樣良善的弟弟，雖然我已經多年沒有正式見到他。
正如我對很多學生所說的：
教育者的使命，是進入學生的內心世界，進而除舊布新；在這個過程中，所有的人如果有意願，都會迎來正向的轉變——
這不僅僅只是學生會把那個屬於我的、最好的部分帶走，我也會將他們裝拾在我的內心深處，走遍這世上的千山萬水，那每一處我所去過的地方。
Enjoying reading that book in its original,
English form, I am impressed but not too surprised by all the evidences the
writer has provided, for I am the living proof that human nature shines, so are
those around me, including you and your brother whom I have not officially seen
for many years, yet like what I have said to all my students, that an educator’s
mission is to enter the students’ hearts and renovate them; while doing so, all
parties change so that not only parts of me will be carried by my students, but
they will be in me for all those places I visit.
影片中的那位學生，多年來有了巨大的改變，(在如下的簡短片段之中光我個人就有諸多故事可以述說：當時在輔大任教，每次上課喜歡步行開放式樓梯一次走五至七樓，弄到非常自願拍攝而使影片得到教育國家獎助的攝影組人員要與我一起走上走下……) 尤其是在我們最近這段旅程中——我們前往印尼，希望為有需要的人服務；而接下來，我們也即將展開另一段旅程，前往亞洲另一個國家，那是一個我過去作為空姊時經常飛抵的地點，但其實了解不深。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZHhf7SxaZU
This student, shown in the video, has
changed tremendously through the years, (even me, teaching at a local university in Taiwan, used to enjoy walking so much that I'd climb the stairs up to the seventh floor or so, torturing those voluntarily filming us to move up and down their machines with me...) particularly during this very recent
journey we have taken, in the wish to serve the needed in Indonesia; we are
about to initiate a journey to investigate another nation in Asia where I used
to fly a lot as a flight attendant but have not known too much in-depth.
I remember even as a flight attendant,
people hiring me like to invite me to speak on behalf of the mass, just like
the time when I was a student, or the time I work at any other entities and/or
offices. What I have not recognized, until the most recent journeys overseas,
would be the sheer, simple truth that when I speak as a representative of my
peers when I work to make a living or even when my role is a student, I never
truly get emotional, unless for sorrowful events, which happen only once. For the
rest of the speeches I have delivered in the public, they’re filled with my own
singing, gesturing, and voices. Nowadays, when I talk in front of the others,
usually due to the voluntary actions somewhere here and there, I cry with
laughter in my entire body.
我記得即使在擔任空服員時，雇用我的人也常邀請我代表同儕發言，就像我還身為一名學生的時侯，又或在其他私人機構、或於公部門工作時一樣。然而直到最近幾次出國的旅程，我才真正意識到一個簡單而純粹的事實：當我作為代表發言者時，無論是為了生計、工作著眼，或者身為學生，我其實除了有一次因為某個比較悲傷的事件而落淚外，在其他所有公開演說的場合，我都笑容滿面，而聽者會聽見及看見的除了偶有歌聲、還會有手勢、以及屬於我個人專有的「聲音表情」。
而如今，當我站在眾人面前開口說話時，卻可能會因為這些自發性質的義務行動，而全身雖然帶著笑意、卻熱淚盈眶。
“Why do you cry, teacher?” You may ask.
「王老師，妳為什麼會在那種情境之下哭出來呢？」你可能會問。
Honestly, I do not want to be an actress,
so I do not enjoy acting. Those moments when I talk in front of the others,
nonetheless, are touching moments which I am moved by the strengths of people
wishing to outgrown their old selves to be ones who are new. To me, the current
form of mine, we can very generally state that singing and shedding tears can
signify the same thing: extreme contentment and utmost happiness, for a part of
me cannot comprehend how people are able to transform themselves in front of my
own eyes, to be better, or to wish to be better. Previously, I may be very
stern to you and your brother; today when I face individuals similar of age
like those moments when I teach the two of you, I make them laugh, under the
circumstances they are well-behaved. On the contrary, when they behave ten
times worse than you and your brother, who obviously are finely cultivated by
your grandma, parents, and uncles plus unties of yours, I would reason with them
with ideas they can follow.
老實說，我沒有想當演員的欲望，也不喜歡因為擔綱演員而演戲。但那些我站在人前說話的時刻，是真實觸動我的時刻——我被那些努力超越過去、成為嶄新的自己的人的力量所感動。對我而言，現在的我，可以很簡單地說：唱歌與流淚其實代表同一件事——極度的滿足與無比的幸福。因為我或許始終無法理解，我如何握有那把打開人們內心門窗的鑰匙，而眼見人們怎麼在我眼前慢慢轉改變，變得更好，以及渴望變得更好。
以前，我可能對你和你哥哥相當嚴厲；而現在，當我面對與你們當年年齡相仿的學生時，如果他們表現良好，我會讓他們開懷大笑。相反地，如果他們的行為比你們當年糟糕十倍——而你們顯然是在奶奶、父母與親戚的良好教養下成長的青年——我會用他們能理解的方式與他們講道理。
Before I step inside the world of teenagers’
and pre-teens’ world of English as a foreign language acquisition once again, I
plan to keep making the world a better place since I believe to be able to cater
the needs of many, many students of such age groups, I can further train myself
to be more artfully masterful when I serve the needed worldwide. Now, I see
that once such a determination is set and practices are made, many unexpected
outcome can be the production of such a determination, leading to the prospect
of a concert being expected and held in a fancy city of China, a concert aiming
at bringing more peace of caring attitudes to more people. Based on all these,
when that student of mine appearing in the video mentions that in the work and/or
life of mine, many bows shooting poisonously venomous arrows towards should direct
me to be deeply wounded, I feel completely otherwise, that regardless of people’s
intention of doing or saying perhaps negative in the others’ concepts to me, I may
not identify those words or actions to be harmful.
我因為計畫著持續讓世界變得更好的服務之途，而再次踏入幼年及青少年學習英語的世界，因為我相信，若我能滿足這些年齡層當中，大量學生的心理需求，我就能進一步磨練自己在服務全球最需要協助的人群與物種時，變得更加成熟而到位。如今我看到，當這樣的決心確立並付諸行動後，許多意想不到的成果隨之產生——
例如一場預計在中國某個繁華城市舉辦的音樂會，其目標是將關懷與平和進行擴散的動作。
基於這一切，當影片中的那位學生提到，在我所擇取的自我磨鍊的工作與人生歷程當中，從他們的眼中，不斷有著許許多多人、事、物如同毒箭般向我而來，本應讓我傷痕累累時，但我個人卻有著完完全全相反的感受——
無論他人出於何種動機而說出或做出在他們看來可能是負面的事，我不但不會將其視為傷害，反而會視其為訓練我在促進他人、物種等等更加詳和生活中的助力。
You would say, “Teacher, WHY NOT?!”
你可能會問：「老師，為什麼妳沒有把那些毒箭視為能夠對妳造成傷害之物呢？！」
I would feel that in the past, I may have also
behaved viciously in front of the others. The person who I am today, recognized
by some of my closest friends, who are very often my students spending quite
some time with me, to be thoughtful and softspoken, there must be something I have
done correctly to make this learning curve alternating myself positively possible.
Later, when such learning curves with loving kindness practiced to the others, are
also approved by the field of social science, and when the others whom I know practicing
such also step onto the realm of inner peace, I am aware of the fact that people
can keep changing ourselves for the better. By the time when people like the
businessperson, her son, her friend the musician, the man who also visits east
Africa where he’d like to do more good things, my former student(s) mentioned earlier
in this piece of work converge altogether, this is the kinds of ever-flowing energy
and/or strengths with such forces making the world better and better.
我會覺得，在過去，我或許也曾在他人面前表現得很惡劣。而現在的我，被一些最親近的朋友——也常常是與我長時間相處的學生——認為是體貼且溫和的人，那麼我一定做對了某些事情，才讓自己能夠朝正向改變。當這樣以「慈愛」為基礎的「服務學習」曲線，也被社會科學的研究証據所認可，而我認識的其他相關事物實踐者也走向內在精神層面的平靜與富足時，我更加確信：人只要透過學習，是可以持續變得更加完好的。也就是說，當像那位企業家、她的兒子、她的音樂家朋友、那位曾去過東非的先生，以及我前面提到的學生們，這些人聚集在一起時，那就是一股又一股能讓世界變得更加美好的動能。
So far, I have not told you that there is
one more person I have invited him to in the current space where I need to
work. In our conversation, this person talks about why he does something helpful
for the others all the time.
“…I am selfish when it comes to doing good
things to the others. I know when I make others better people, those good
things will return back to me…”
到目前為止，我還沒告訴你，在我目前工作的地方，我還邀請了另一位男士來談談。在我們的討論當中，他談到自己為什麼總是幫助他人：
「……在做好事這件事上，我是自私的。我知道，當我使別人變得更好，這個社會就會更好，全部都一起往好處走的時候，那些良善也自然而然會回到我身上……」
Is it really out of selfishness that this
person is helping the others all the time? If so, his words are like those of
the Dalai Lama who is one of the best examples for the world to be more
peaceful. And if so, it is unharmful to be selfish, isn’t it? Then, I am so happy
that I am selfish enough to take you to east Africa where you’ve touched the
heart and soul of so many as a soft-spoken teenage shepherd; in return, every
year after you, for each and every new person visiting the place, they’re even
more respected and liked since you have showered the locals with warmth in your
own pre-teen, silent mode. I admire you tremendously for that.
這真的是出於自私嗎？
如果是，那他的話就像達賴喇嘛一樣——他是讓世界更和平的最佳典範之一，可是，他也說他是世上最自私的人(因為研究顯示，利他其實最終是利己)。如果如此，那麼「自私」其實並沒有傷害，不是嗎？那我就很高興，自己夠「自私」到把你帶去東非，在那裡你觸動了許多人的心靈；而在你之後，每一年有新的人造訪那裡時，都會受到更多尊重與喜愛，因為你用你那種少年而安靜的牧羊人方式，把溫暖帶給了當地人。我真的非常欽佩你。
What am I thinking when I see you are about
to enter your vehicle that day?
那天當我遠遠看著你買完東西，準備上車時，我在想什麼呢？
Well, I am happy that you look completely
calm, unlike during the flight to Africa when your entire being, during the
time when you’re soundly asleep, switch here and there, with your snores
affecting, apparently, those sitting around us.
Have I wished I would have had a hole to
cover myself during the flight so that the awoken me would not have to shyly
smile to those starring at us?
You bet—actually, I pretend I have fallen
asleep by shielding myself with a scarf I have at the moment, and from the
glimmering clefts of the scarf, I can see how angry those around us are. It upsets
me indeed, but every single disappointment comes with grace and serenity shall
we look closely to it. When our lenses are adjusted, disappointments are no
long there—they are merely lessons for us to surpass ourselves to be better
versions!!!
我很高興，你看起來非常平靜，不像當初飛往非洲的航班上，你整個人熟睡時不斷東倒西歪，鼾聲大到好像令整個周圍的乘客都感到更為疲倦似的。
我是否曾經希望機艙裡能有個洞讓我躲起來，好讓醒著的我不用對那些盯著我們看的人尷尬微笑？
當然希望啊!!!所以，其實最後我決定用圍巾把自己整個遮住，假裝睡著了，而從圍巾細小的縫隙當中，我看見周圍的人有多麼忿怒。
那確實讓我難受，但只要我們細看，每一份失落都蘊含著優雅與平和。當我們調整觀看世界的視角時，失落就消失怠盡——它們只是讓我們超越自我、成為更好版本的課題而已。
Comments
Post a Comment