平凡中的幸福 Ordinary Happiness

(本文刊載於基督教論壇報 2012年5月26日，第3392期)

   下了近一週的雨，實在不習慣明明是「杜鵑花」開的三月，卻像冬天一樣的嚴寒!然而，今天太陽終於露臉了! 希望這回「春天」真的來囉!

    早上吃完豐盛的早餐之後，我的兩個孩子恩強、恩立迫不及待要出門玩球，我們決定去對面的「台北藝術大學」大操場踢足球、打籃球、和跑步! 小男生總是有用不完的精力! 而面對翻譯截稿壓力的我，就順道帶著手提電腦到戶外翻譯去！

    With nearly a full week of rain, I'm really not used to seeing these bright March Azaleas when I can still feel winter's bitter chill! However, today the sun finally showed its face. I hope Spring's return is actually here!
     In the morning, after eating a hearty breakfast, my two sons EnQiang and EnLi couldn't wait to go out and play ball. We decided to play football, basketball, and run at the big playground opposite our home on the Taipei National University of the Arts campus! Boys always have an endless amount of energy! While I, facing the pressure of a translation deadline, saw an opportunity to take my laptop along to translate outdoors!

美麗的校園

    雖然「台北藝術大學」就在家正對面，但前陣子濕濕冷冷的天氣，讓我們也好一陣子沒去那裡走走了。我們在到達操場之前，會先經過學校中的森林步道、大草原，並沿路欣賞綻放的花朵，今天還發現校園中又有新的藝術作品，印象最深刻的是用大理石雕刻的超酷「賽車」、用廢鐵條創作的逼真「犀牛」，以及在動畫系館前出現好巨大的「無敵鐵金剛」！在這個美麗的校園裡，總是處處有驚喜!

    走到了我們最愛的大操場，兩個小男生盡情地在操場奔跑、玩球，而我走上籃球場旁高高的階梯，找一個樹下陰涼的位置，在那裡打開手提電腦翻譯。我特別喜愛這個大操場，因為它被群山環繞，還能居高臨下看見關渡平原、台北市景、甚至台北101，這裡顯得一片青翠又無比遼闊，讓人心曠神怡！

A Beautiful Campus
    Although The Taipei National University of the Arts is just opposite our house, the recent damp and cold weather also kept us from walking there in awhile. Before we reached the playground, we first passed through the school's forest path and prairie fields, and enjoyed the blooming flowers along the way. Today we also discovered the new works of art on campus. Some of the most memorable were a super cool race car carved out of marble, a lifelike rhinoceros made from strips of scrap metal, along with an enormous "Mazinger Z" replica standing in front of the animation department! This beautiful campus is always full of surprises! 
    We walked to our favorite playground, the two boys played ball and ran around to their heart's content. I climbed atop the basketball court bleachers looking for a spot in the shade under a tree where I could open up my laptop and translate. I'm particularly fond of this playground, because it's surrounded by mountains, yet from a high vantage you can view below the Guandu Plain, the Taipei city skyline and even Taipei 101. All of it seems so green and vast, it makes people feel carefree and happy!

意外的插曲

    在美景相伴下，一陣陣微風吹來，我坐在高高的階梯上，一邊翻譯、一邊看著操場上兩個孩子的身影。雖然我沒有緊跟在孩子們的身邊，但我從高處往低處看，反而更清楚看見孩子們的動態。此時，我抬頭看著晴朗的天空，突然感覺到天父上帝也正是如此眷顧著祂的兒女，祂能看見並照管著一切。

    正因為如此，我學習做個能適度放手的媽媽。我看到恩立被小狗追，後來小狗的主人出來安慰弟弟不要害怕；而恩強正在專注地看哥哥姊姊們玩滑板時，突然天外飛來一顆籃球，正好打到他的頭，他開始摸著頭哭泣，我心想怎麼會這樣？但也許是我看見了那顆球的力道不太強，我沒有立刻衝下樓梯去看他的情況，我只有用關懷的眼神注視著他，而他含著淚水的雙眼也看著我，接著，那位不小心闖禍的人，也隨著恩強眼神所望的方向，找到了在階梯上的我，知道我是他的媽媽，連忙向我道歉，我雖然覺得心痛，也只能故作鎮定，向下喊到：「沒關係！」而我的內心則不斷向神禱告，求主醫治保護恩強。

An Unexpected Interlude
    Amidst the beautiful scenery, gentle gusts of wind blew by, me, sitting on those high bleachers, translated while watching the silhouettes of two boys on the playground. I wasn't beside the kids, but from a higher point looking down, I could see their movements more clearly. At that moment, I turned my head, looked at the sunny sky, and suddenly felt how God the Father is truly taking good care of His children, that He is able to see and take care of everything.
    Because of this, I'm a mom that's learned how to let go in moderation. I saw EnLi being chased by a dog, and afterwards the dog's owner assuring him to not be afraid; and while EnQiang focused his attention on watching the other college students skateboard, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a basketball came flying in, hitting him right in the head. He rubbed his head and cried, and I thought to myself how could this have happened? Maybe because I noticed how the ball's force wasn't too powerful, I didn't immediately run down the stairs to take a look at his condition. I was only gazing at him with an expression of love and care, and he was looking at me with those watering eyes; then, that careless person who caused the trouble, also followed the direction of his stare, finding me at the top of the bleachers, knowing I was his mother, and quickly apologized to me, and although it hurt me, I pretended to be calm and shouted down "It's alright!", but my heart was constantly praying to God, asking the Lord to heal and protect EnQiang.

一顆球的祝福

    他被球打到之後，就坐在一旁休息，不久，他走上高高的階梯來找我，還帶了好甜的梨子給我吃，原來是他在球場休息時，打球的哥哥姊姊給他的。我摸摸他的頭，問他頭還疼不疼，他說不怎麼痛了，我就放心多了。他吃完好吃的水果，又恢復了力氣。

    因著那一顆意外打中他的球，他突然得著一羣哥哥姊姊們的關愛，我看到有一位大哥哥，聽說是足球隊隊長，陪著恩強、恩立兩兄弟一起開心地踢足球，還有好幾位同學，陪著兩兄弟玩耍，甚至當起臨時保姆，陪他們到學校的便利商店買飲料！我覺得這種感覺好奇妙，原本是互不認識的陌生人，因著一顆球，變成一羣友善的哥哥姊姊，讓我們享受到甜美的水果、愛心的關懷，和一起同樂的美好時光！

The Blessing of a Ball
    After being hit by the ball, he sat on the sidelines to rest for a bit, before long, he walked up the bleachers to see me, carrying with him sweet pears for me to eat. He got them while recuperating, from the other college students playing basketball. I patted his head, asked him if his head hurt or not, and he said it didn't hurt much. I felt much better. He ate some delicious fruit, which renewed his strength.
    The accidental hit on the head from that ball had EnQiang suddenly surrounded by a group of college kids tending to him. I saw an older boy, (I've heard he's the captain of the soccer team), happily play football together with EnQiang and EnLi. A couple of students joined in on the fun, and took them to the school's convenience store to buy drinks almost like older siblings taking care of their two younger brothers. It felt wonderful; originally, a group of strangers who had never met, then, all because of one ball, the kids became a group of friends. We all enjoyed sweet fruit, loving care, and had a great time together!

幸福的陪伴

    所謂「因禍得福」，就是這個道理吧！回程時，我對兩兄弟說，原本「被球打到」這件看似不好的事情，沒想到卻因為「這一顆球」帶來額外的祝福！這讓我想到聖經中有一句話說：「要常常喜樂、不住的禱告、凡事謝恩」，相信每一件發生在我們身上的大事情、小事情，都蘊藏著神的美意與祝福。

    我們走在回家的路上，又發現學校樹林中有新的木頭步道，我們三人好奇地走在新的步道上，邊走邊玩「123木頭人」遊戲，孩子還教我玩「幸運草」，非常有趣！我們走著走著，突然聞到一種「牛的味道」，果然一轉彎，就看見一頭牛正在吃草，還吃得津津有味，沒想到恩立卻說：牛牛一個人在那裡好孤單，你看，牛牛的臉有一種想哭想哭的感覺。我很訝異他有這樣的觀察，我們仔細一看，真的耶!牛牛的臉好憂鬱。牛牛似乎了解我們的關懷，我們正要和牠道別時，牠突然一直回頭望著我們，似乎捨不得我們離開，我們就對牠說，下次會再來看你喔！

    與其說我陪伴孩子，不如說是孩子陪伴我，我的兩個孩子也是我最好的朋友，他們的赤子之心，總是提醒我，要在心態上回轉變成像小孩子的樣式，如此更能發現平凡生活中的不平凡；更能發掘平凡中的幸福，無須捨近求遠，原來時刻都在你我身邊！你今天發現了什麼幸福呢?

Accompanied by Happiness
    The old saying about events being a "blessing in disguise" is really true! On the way home, I said to my boys, you know, getting "hit by a ball" could have been such a bad thing, but who would have thought "this one ball", would bring us an extra blessing! This made me think of a verse from the Bible: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances."（1 Thessalonians 5:16-18）. I believe every event that happens to us, whether big or small, bears the good will and blessings of the Lord.
    While walking on the road home, we discovered a new wooden path in the middle of the school's forest. The three of us walked with curiosity on the new path, walking and playing the "123 Wood People" game, and the kids also taught me how to play "Clover", both are really interesting! We walked and walked, and suddenly smelled a kind of "cow smell". Sure enough, at the next turn, we saw a cow eating grass, chewing it up with gusto. Without hesitation EnLi said "One cowcow by himself over there is so lonely, look, cowcow's face looks like it's gonna cry" I was shocked he had this kind of observation. We looked carefully...he was right! Cowcow's face was so depressed. Cowcow seemed to understand our concern, while we said our goodbyes, it kept rearing its head back in our direction, suddenly looking at us, almost as if he didn't want us to leave! We just said to him "next time we'll come back to see you!"
    Instead of saying I accompanied my children, it's better to say my children accompanied me. My two kids are also my best friends. Their childlike innocence always reminds me to return to a state of mind like that of a child's, that in this way, we are more able to realize the unordinary-ness of ordinary life, more able to discover happiness in the 'ordinary', and how there's no need to seek from afar that which is close at hand because it's been by our side all along! What happiness have you discovered today?

作者:譚亞菁 Mar.17, 2012

Translated by Parker Gadbois

向日葵的天空 A Sunflower Sky

    
        如果你是一朵花，想要成為哪一種花呢？是嬌豔的玫瑰、清香的桂花、熱情的木棉、高雅的薰衣草，還是有「花中君子」美稱的荷花？

        If you were a flower, which kind would you be? A tender rose, a fragrant osmanthus, a warm kapok, an elegant lavender, or a chivalrous lotus?

        如果我是一朵花，我渴望成為一朵向日葵，那是一種來自「光」的魅力！無論晴天雨天、白日黑夜，無論周遭的環境如何，向日葵總是向著太陽轉動。向日葵的天空，是一片「與光共舞」的天空！

        If I were a flower, I’d long to be a sunflower, a kind of magic that comes from “light”! Whether rain or shine, day or night, and regardless of the surrounding environment, a sunflower always turns toward the sun. A sunflower sky is a sky that dances with light!

        光的相反是「黑暗」。在某一個無風又無雨的夜晚，我從巴士下車，赫然發現我所住的山坡上竟然大停電，路旁的商店和住家都沒有半點燈光，眼前好黑暗，好不尋常的安靜。當我一個人走在回家的路上，那晚，街道上空無一人，少了路燈和月光的陪伴，我好像走在一個漆黑死寂的城鎮中，原本熟悉的街道，變得好陌生、好漫長，心中也感到好孤單、好害怕……當時的我，好想念「光」，就算只有一根小蠟燭的光都好!

        The opposite of light is ‘darkness’. One night, with no wind or rain, I got off the bus, and was surprised to find the mountainside where I lived had an unexpected power outage. Side-street shops and homes were without light, before my eyes was total darkness, and it was unusually quiet. As I was alone walking home, that night, there was not a single person on the street, and without the company of streetlights or moonlight, it seemed as though I was walking through a dark ghost town. What once was a familiar street, became strange, and endless, and my heart felt lonely, and afraid…At that time, I really missed ‘light’, where even a little light from a candle would have been just fine!

        有一句話說：「與其詛咒黑暗，不如點亮燭光。」在這世界上，在我們生命中，無論那黑暗是多麼的深、多麼的大，都不足以熄滅一支小蠟燭的光亮！然而，什麼是「光」？ 聖經說：「神就是光，在他毫無黑暗！」（約翰一書一：5）。一旦讓「光」進來，黑暗就無容身之地！

        There is a proverb that says, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” In this world, in our lives, however deep or great that darkness may be, it’s never enough to extinguish the light of a small candle! But what is ‘light’? The bible says: “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Once we let in the ‘light’, darkness has nowhere to hide!

        試著在我們的心田種下向日葵的希望種子，讓心中的那一片向日葵花海，向著生命的「真光」而綻放！就像向日葵，堅持選擇迎向陽光，我們也來成為「與光共舞」的光明之子吧！那麼，這個看似黑暗的世界，將會變得大大不同！你相信嗎？

        Try planting sunflower seeds of hope in our hearts, letting the sunflower blossom within, and watch the ‘true light’ of life bloom! Just like a sunflower, persistently facing the sun’s rays, we can all join the waltz in the sky, and dance as children of light! Then, this seemingly dark world will be remarkably different! Do you think so too?

作者:譚亞菁 Oct.2, 2012

Translated by Parker Gadbois