我看少年Pi的省思 Reflections after seeing The Life of Pi

有一種奇特的感覺，說不定你也曾經驗過，就是在熱鬧的人群裡、歡樂的派對中，在談笑風聲之間，無論四周歡笑聲是多麼嘹亮與此起彼落，孤寂卻是你揮之不去的感受。相對地，有時當你一人漫步街頭，或者靜靜地坐在某個角落，一個人或看書、或沉思、或寫作、或品茶，或看街上的景物，內心卻是滿足和喜悅的。換句話說，看似熱鬧卻孤寂，看似孤單卻充實，這是一種略帶矛盾的感受。也許，在繁忙的生活中，我們都需要學習獨處的藝術。

There's a strange feeling, maybe you've experienced it, while in a lively crowd or at joyful party, amidst cheerful conversation and laughter, that no matter how loud and clear or continuous the happy laughter all around you is, solitude is your only lingering feeling. Relatively, sometimes when you walk the streets, or sit quietly in a random corner, alone reading a book, or while meditating, or writing, or drinking tea, or watching the scenery of the streets, the heart is content and glad. In other words, appear lively but lonely, appear lonely but fulfilled, this is a kind of contradictory feeling. Perhaps, in our busy lives, we all need to learn the art of being alone.

         你喜歡獨處嗎？對我來說，從事翻譯和寫作工作，我必須學習獨處、享受孤獨。雖然我還是很喜愛接觸人群，與人互動，但我也愈來愈珍惜一個人的獨處時光。因為在這段時光中，我能學習和自己成為好朋友，專心聆聽自己內心的聲音，試圖不被世俗價值觀牽著走，更重要的是，我相信神時刻與我同在，耶穌是我最好的朋友，祂與我談話，伴我同行。所以，實際上，我一點都不孤單。更準確地說，獨處時光也是一段「與神約會」的美妙時光！

        Do you like to be alone? As for me, from working as a translator and author, I must learn to be alone and enjoy solitude. I still very much enjoy contact with crowds and interacting with people, but more and more I've also begun to cherish the time a person spends alone. During this time, I was able to learn how to be good friends with myself, paying attention to my inner voice, attempting not to get carried away with secular values, more importantly, I believe God is with me every moment, Jesus is my best friend, He talks with me, he stands by me. So, in reality, I'm not lonely at all. More accurately stated, alone time is also a "Date with God", a wonderful time!

     「與神約會」的內容，除了讀聖經、唱詩歌、跟祂說悄悄話，也包括和祂一起去看電影！祂經常會藉由一本書、一場音樂會，或一部電影，對我的心說話，帶給我新的啟發。那一天，我邀請祂陪我去看一部3D電影「少年Pi的奇幻漂流」(Life of Pi)，有關少年Pi和一隻老虎在海上求生的故事，這也是一部充滿靈性的電影，有許多少年Pi與上帝之間的對話。

In addition to reading the Bible, singing hymns, or whispering personal messages to Him, these "Dates with God" also include going with him to the movies! He will often speak to my heart via a book, a concert, or a movie, giving me new inspiration. That day I invited him to accompany me to see a 3D movie "Life of Pi", it's about a youth named Pi and a tiger and their story of survival at sea, the film is also quite spiritual, with many conversations between young Pi and God.

        少年Pi在一場突如其來的暴風雨所導致的船難中，失去了最摯愛的家人，在廣大無邊的海洋中，在一艘單薄的小船上，與一隻孟加拉虎在海上漂流。少年Pi要承受失去親人的痛，要與兇猛的老虎朝夕相處，還要面對前途茫茫的未來，他身處內憂外患之中，是多麼孤苦無依啊！

Pi, in a shipwreck caused by a sudden storm, lost his most beloved family, leaving him in the vast and boundless ocean, in a flimsy boat, with a Bengal tiger drifting at sea. Pi had to bear the pain of losing his loved ones, spending his days and nights with a ferocious tiger, all while facing a future of uncertainty. He lived through suffering both internal and external, how lonely and helpless!

        少年Pi的處境，讓我聯想到聖經中的約伯記。一夜之間，約伯失去所有兒女和財產，後來甚至全身長滿毒瘡。我想人若處於像Pi或約伯的苦難中，不得不問這一切是為什麼！怨天尤人也是人之常情。

Pi's plight reminds me of the Bible's Book of Job. Overnight, Job lost all his children and property, and later, even his entire body was covered in open sores. I think if people are suffering like Pi or Job, they cannot help but ask why me! Blaming heaven and earth is only human.

        然而，當人在苦難中，願意停止抱怨，仍相信有神，並且尋求神的指引時，恩典與奇蹟就會從天而降。就像約伯在經歷了苦難的洗禮之後，他不由得向神發出讚嘆：「我從前風聞有祢，現在親眼看見祢」（約伯記四十二5）；而少年Pi在漂流期間，在另一場雷電交加的暴風雨中，於搖搖欲墜的小船上，Pi竟然高舉雙手，大聲「讚美神」，宣告他對神的信靠。神就奇妙地引導Pi，讓他與老虎從敵對到和平共處，甚至讓原本充滿威脅、令人害怕的老虎，激發少年Pi的生存鬥志，使他的生命有目標，不絕望，最後讓生命得著救贖。

However, when we suffer, if we're willing to stop complaining, and still believe there's a God, and even seek God's guidance, grace and miracles will fall from the sky. It's just like Job after experiencing a baptism of suffering, he could not help but to praise God, "I've heard you with my ears; and now I've seen you with my eyes" (Job 42:5). While Pi was drifting, in the middle of another thunder and lightning storm, in a small tottering boat, he unexpectedly raised his hands in the air, shouting "Praise God", a declaration of his faith in God. God then miraculously guided Pi, leading him and the tiger from a hostile to a peaceful coexistence, even allowing the once threatening and terrifying tiger, to activate the will to survive in the young Pi, making his life goal-oriented, absent of despair, and finally allowing his life to obtain salvation.

        這場「少年Pi的奇幻漂流」，也好比真實的人生旅程，充滿冒險與挑戰，不停地朝目標奮進。我們可能正面臨生命中的苦難，彷彿出埃及記中的情景：前有紅海，後有追兵。此時，我們只能向上看，仰望神、信靠神，就有奇蹟。

        The movie "Life of Pi", is also like a real life journey, full of adventure and challenges, a constant endeavor towards the goal. Maybe we are faced with suffering in life, as if it were a scene from Exodus: The Red Sea ahead, pursuing soldiers behind. At these times, we can only look up, have hope in God, have faith in God, and there will be miracles.

        看完少年Pi，也讓我想起另一部電影，就是描寫摩西的故事和出埃及記的動畫電影「埃及王子」（The Prince of Egypt），其著名的主題曲 “ When You Believe”（當你相信），是一首時常激勵我的歌曲。雖然我不知道，此刻的你，遭遇到什麼困難，但我希望，這首歌也能安慰你的心，賜給你力量。讓我們一起來唱吧……

Finishing “Life of Pi”, also made me think of another movie, “The Prince of Egypt”, an animated film that depicts the story of Moses and the Exodus. It's famous theme song "When You Believe" is a song that inspires me often. Although I don't know what kind of hardship you're suffering from at the moment, yet I believe this song can comfort your heart and give you strength. Let us sing it together....

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles, you can achieve,
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

奇蹟將會出現， 只要你肯相信
希望雖然渺茫， 卻不可被磨滅
誰知道你會創造怎樣的奇蹟
只要你肯相信，你就會得到
只要你肯相信，你就會創造奇蹟

作者:譚亞菁 Jan.14, 2013

Translated by Parker Gadbois