另類接機 An exceptional pickup

(本文刊載於聯合報 2012年11月2日 繽紛版 / 2013年10月講義雜誌轉載)

    
    談到去機場接機，當然不是什麼特別的事，但是我第一次自己開車去接機的經驗，真的很另類! 因為我不知道對方搭什麼班機、幾點的班次、在第幾航廈，而且完全沒有和對方約好，竟然還能在這麼大的國際機場順利接到人！真的很厲害，也很戲劇化吧! 
  Let's face it, going to the airport isn't anything out of the ordinary, but my first experience driving a car to the airport by myself is definitely an exception! I wasn't sure of my party's flight number, flight time, or terminal, and didn't even make the proper arrangements, yet to my surprise I was still able to make a smooth pickup at such a huge international airport! Pretty impressive right? It was pretty dramatic too!

    前陣子，我先生去新加坡出差一週，他要回台北當天早上，來電告訴我，他和同事大約會在中午搭飛機回台灣，他們會自己搭大眾交通工具回家。由於我平日較少開高速公路，再加上當天我必須去鶯歌參加好朋友的「新家落成Party」，所以我並不打算去接機。
  A while back, my husband went to Singapore on business for a week. On the morning of his return to Taipei, he called to tell me him and his colleague figured they'd take the noon flight back to Taiwan, and then each take public transportation home. Now normally, I don't always drive on the highway, plus I had to go to my close friend's Housewarming Party in YingGe that day, so I really hadn't planned on driving to the airport.

突發奇想
    在好友的新家，我們欣賞鶯歌小鎮的風光，享受豐盛的美食，以及溫暖的友情。就在下午將要離開的時候，屋外突然下起傾盆大雨，也許雨實在太大了，我竟突然有ㄧ個感動，決定要帶著孩子去機場接機，免得老公在滂沱大雨中提著行李回家……當然！我們也想順便給他ㄧ個大驚喜！

    我只聽說鶯歌離桃園機場不遠，至於究竟要怎麼開去機場，我並不清楚。然而，我得承認，我喜歡生活中的小小冒險，以開車來說，我喜愛開車去任何嚮往的地方，就算路線不熟，但我會看著路上指標開車，而且我特別喜歡「看路標」 的感覺，因這會讓我聯想到：在漫長的人生道路上，我們會遇到許多十字路口，或面臨各式各樣的問題，我們是多麼需要正確的指引，來幫助我們作出智慧的抉擇。我相信「聖經」就是神的話，就好比路上的指標一樣，能為我們人生各個層面提供引導與正確的方向，讓我們能走上被神保護和祝福的道路！

Acting on a whim
  At my friend's new house, we were taking in the scenery of the town, enjoying a hearty meal and the warmth of friendship. In the afternoon just when I was about to leave, there was a sudden downpour of rain outside the house. Perhaps there was simply too much rain, for I suddenly had a notion: I was going to bring my kids to the airport to pick up my husband so that he wouldn't get caught hauling luggage in this torrential rain on his way home...and that was that! We were going to give him a big surprise!     

  I'd only heard that YinGe wasn't far from TaoYuan airport, but as for knowing exactly how to get there, I wasn't quite sure. However, I must admit, I enjoy life's little adventures, and as far as driving goes, I love driving to any desirable place. Even if I don't know the route, I'll still look out for the road signs, because I really like that "watching the signs" feeling. It just makes me think, on this long road of our lives, we'll come across many crossroads, or be confronted with all kinds of problems. We will then have a great need for proper guidance to help us make wise decisions. I believe The Bible is the word of God, and just like the signs on the road, it's able to offer guidance and direction for every aspect of our lives, allowing us to walk down the path that is protected and blessed by God!

勇氣
    其實，我也不知道是哪來的勇氣，基本上我只知道老公會在中午從新加坡上飛機，其餘的航班資訊，我一概不知，外加在豪大雨中，又路況不熟，而且和老公完全沒有約好的情況下，我展開生平第一次自己開車去接機的旅程。然而，我就是有ㄧ種莫名的信心會接到他，當然在開車的過程中，我ㄧ路向神禱告，求神幫助，因為只有神能安排最奇妙的時間點和各樣環節，祂會帶領一切，無論是大事或小事！
Courage
  Actually, I don't even know where the courage came from. Basically, I only knew my husband would fly in from Singapore that afternoon, and as for any other information about the flight, I was clueless, not to mention the heavy rain, unfamiliar roads, and no prior arrangements for the pickup. And so, for the first time in my life driving to the airport by myself, I set out on the journey.
Somehow, I had this strange sense of confidence I would meet up with him, of course while driving, I'd pray to God, asking for His help, because only God can arrange the most wonderful timing, and a marvelous series of events. Whether the matter be big or small, He will lead all. 

神奇的Timing
    我看著高速公路上的指標，順利開到桃園國際機場，我直覺他應該是搭「新加坡航空」吧！我找到「新航SQ」是在第二航廈，於是我把車暫停在第二航廈門口，跑進去看「航班時刻看板」，原本沒發現下午有SQ的班機，正有點想放棄時，突然瞄到看板換第二頁，立刻看到有一班四點五十分到達的「新加坡航空」，而此時，我看看手錶，我到機場的時間是四點五十五分，我直覺老公一定是搭這架班機，所以他的飛機才剛降落，而要出海關約三十分鐘，這個Timing太奇妙了！我立刻匆匆忙忙帶孩子去停車，然後一路衝到入境大廳，我們三人六隻眼睛，直盯著入境出口的電視螢幕，深怕我們會錯過老公的身影，結果半個多小時後，老公和他的同事真的出現了！我大叫他的名字，而兩個孩子也熱情地從走廊的一端朝爸爸奔跑過去，邊跑邊叫「爸爸~爸爸~」，還真是感人的畫面啊！而老公當然是又驚又喜，嚇一大跳我們會去接他！我內心好感謝神，讓我們真的順利接到他，我也不禁讚嘆神所預備的Timing，和放在我心中的勇氣與直覺！
Perfect Timing
  Following the signs on the highway, I made it smoothly to TaoYuan International Airport. I thought that he probably flew Singapore Airlines right? I saw 'SQ' was at terminal 2 and stopped the car at the terminal entrance, then I ran inside to look at the flight schedule. At first, I didn't find any afternoon flights for Singapore Airlines, but just as I was about to give up, I glanced down when the display suddenly switched to a second page and immediately saw a 4:50pm flight from Singapore Airlines. Then, I checked my watch. I got to the airport at 4:55pm, and instinct told me my husband definitely took this flight, so his plane just landed and getting out of customs should take about thirty minutes, this was some great timing!  In haste, I immediately took the kids to park the car, then ran all the way to the arrival hall. We've got six eyes between the three of us, all staring at the TV screens in the hall's exit, afraid we might miss spotting my husband's figure, but over a half hour later, my husband and his colleague showed up! I called out his name, and our two boys ran with enthusiasm from one end of the corridor to their father, running and shouting "daddy, daddy!" It was such a moving sight! And of course my husband was surprised and delighted, shocked that we came to pick him up! In my heart, I was thanking God, helping us pick up my husband without a hitch and for putting the necessary instinct and courage in my heart. I also couldn't help but praise God for his timing!

美中不足
    我正得意自己既完美又浪漫的接機行動時，卻發現怎麼找不到我們的車子！由於剛剛匆忙停車，然後ㄧ路衝刺，怕錯過他出來的時間，所以我沒有仔細記得停車場的路徑。對我們來說，這時的停車場就像ㄧ個大迷宮，老公拉著重重的行李，拖著疲憊的身體，跟著我們在停車場繞來繞去，折騰了老半天，好不容易找到車子，我竟然又差點找不到車鑰匙和停車票！從老公的表情，我知道他可能覺得：我早就說你們不用來接我呀！我早知道自己回去就好了！而我卻覺得，無論如何，我們可是這麼有誠意和勇氣來接他，他怎麼可以有ㄧ絲不悅？
    這就是婚姻！婚姻生活中有驚喜、甜蜜，也有美中不足，和許多需要相互包容的時刻。聖經說：「凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐，愛是永不止息」（哥林多前書十三7-8）我相信這是通往幸福人生的「路標」！你呢？
Nothing is perfect
  It's when I was taking pride in a perfect and romantically executed airport pickup, that I realized I couldn't find our car!  I had just hastily parked the car and sprinted away, worried we'd miss him on his way out, so I didn't carefully remember the way through the parking lot. As far as we were concerned, this time the parking lot was like a big maze. My husband, tugging along with his heavy luggage, dragging around his exhausted body, followed us all over the parking lot for a long time, until we finally found the car. Then, unexpectedly, I almost couldn't find the car keys or parking ticket! From my husband's expression I knew what he was thinking: "I told you before you didn't have to pick me up. I should have just gone home by myself." But me, I was thinking regardless, we were so sincere and courageous to come and pick him up, how could he be the least bit miserable? 
  Well, that's marriage for you! Married life has surprises, joy, and imperfections, as well as the many moments of necessary mutual tolerance. The Bible says "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends" (I Corinthians 13:7-8). I believe this "road sign" can lead us to a life of happiness! What do you think?

作者:譚亞菁 May.3, 2012

Translated by Parker Gadbois