愛、生活、人生系列

執著與堅持 無論是伴侶、父母與子女，或者在工作及其他場合，與他人交往，我們總會遇到對方非常固執，難以溝通的情況。在很多時候，由於對方的堅持，不願改變，我們常常會評價他們「太固執」。但是，固執背後的原因是什麼呢？一個人如果拒絕改變自己對某件事的觀點；或者，他/她對自己決定要做的事，抱有強烈的信念，堅持自己認為是最好的，不肯妥協，我們便稱之為「執著」。他們選擇了執著，堅持自己的觀點，不改變自己做的決定，不為外界的因素所影響，這樣的思想與行為，其實是有高度的穩定性的。如果他們能堅持自己的觀點，且能先換位從他人的角度和邏輯，審慎思慮，那麼，他們的堅持，會是更有底氣的。無論是經營事業、做學問，還是從事藝術和科學，若想要做出成就，就不能只是遵循前例，要擇善固執，仔細評估，沿著自己認為最正確的方向，勇往直前，堅持到底，絕不妥協，這樣，才會成功。「擇善固執」，是確定了無誤、美好與良善之後，我們堅持重覆一直去做，今天勝過昨天，明天勝過今天，後天勝過明天等等，不斷地找出可改進之處，持續改良、更新，哪怕只是如螞蟻般微小的挪動一步，只要是向前，便是進步。如此，擇善固執，日積月累，我們才會達成自己想要的人生目標。擇善固執，是「己所不欲，勿施於人」，是「將心比心」，站在他人的立場，善待自己，並兼愛他人。「擇善固執」，是對生命的感恩，愛己愛人愛物，堅持行動，它不只是外在行為的重覆，更是一種我們內在力量的培養。擇善固執，做善的事，做對的事，我們是發自內心的不改變，永遠持續做下去的。      事實上，堅持，不是一件容易的事。很多時候，改變也不是來自驚天動地的爆發，而是日復一日、點滴累積的堅持。老子在《道德經》上說：「千里之行，始於足下。」形容要走上千里路，得要靠一步一腳印的累積，並非一蹴可幾。放眼望去，我們的生活中，總不乏很多胸懷大志，說得一片好願景的人，他們信誓旦旦、熱血沸騰，但激情過後，卻又一事無成，無法實現夢想。可見，堅持，真的不是一件容易的事。堅持行動，培養意志力，環境往往是關鍵。例如，我們如果想要自己多喝水，就得每天一大早，先裝好一瓶1000cc的水，擺在自己眼睛看得到的書桌前，當我們口渴時，第一眼看到的，就是喝水。所以，要想成功，首先，我們就要為自己創造有利的環境，然後，改變才會一點一滴的發生。想想看，我們每天只要進步1%，一年後，我們便會複利地成長37倍，多驚人啊！我們人類，是有惰性的生物，偏好眼前立即性的滿足，所以，堅持行動，持續不斷，累積時間，是絕對必要的。      最後，要創造美好的人生，我們除了擇善固執、堅持行動外，耐心也一定是清單上數一數二的要點。如果我們仔細觀察古今中外的名人，一定會發現，他們和我們一般凡人不同之處，都是他們有超人的耐心。有耐心，我們就能看清周遭情形，做出理性的選擇，正確評估狀況，努力邁進。有耐心，我們就可以培養內在的堅毅精神，擇善固執，堅持行動。我們無論在哪個領域，想要成功，就一定必須要有耐心。我們要在日常生活中，耐心以對，養成習慣，反覆去做，累積時間。面對難關，我們更要練習有耐心，讓耐心在不知不覺中，成為我們潛意識的反應。耐心不是一夜之間，就能獲得的，我們每天都要努力。以我為例，今年一整年，我以每週為單位，上芭蕾課，上古典舞課，練瑜伽和彈鋼琴；在高師大兼英文課，參加「英語演講會Toastmasters Club」，寫讀書心得，錄製「播客」等。明年，我還想參加實體的讀書會，和書友們互動切磋。2025年，我們已經很努力了，2026年，我們再持續加油吧！ Powered by Firstory Hosting

以假亂真  有人說，我們現代的社會，已經到了「宜假不宜真」的地步，「以假亂真」的事，到處皆是，例如： 一、環境的以假亂真：現代人居住的環境，不管公寓或獨棟大樓，都少有自然的山水庭園；但是，經過人工，我們可以製造假山假水，設計小橋流水，假花假樹，一樣可以茂林修竹、萬紫千紅，佈置成像公園一樣。只要我們慧心巧思，就可以以假亂真。 二、人體的以假亂真：現代的醫療，美容技術十分進步，如果我們覺得身材不好，可以隆乳，五官不夠美，可以整容，只要動個手術，就可以把單眼皮割成雙眼皮，可以把鼻子墊高。不管我們想要什麼臉型，只要有錢，美容師都能為我們做到。另外，現代人的身體健康出問題，斷了手腳，可以裝義肢，內臟有問題，可以換肝、換腎、換心。甚至，現在的蠟像館，也可以依照真人的胖瘦、高矮，做出栩栩如生的蠟像，幾可亂真。 三、政治的以假亂真：過去政治上的領導人，都要尋訪賢人，請賢者擔任官職；現在的民主社會，人人都可競選，良莠不齊。過去的政治人物，講究信譽，即便是皇帝，也要「金口玉言」、「一言九鼎」，人民更要「一言既出，駟馬難追」。現在的政壇，謊言充斥，空頭支票，隨口開立，讓人覺得政治不可信賴，以假亂真。四、公益的以假亂真：現在的偽君子、偽善人、偽學者，都是靠「以假亂真」來生存。例如，有人假藉公益之名，滿足自己的需求，圖一己之利，這種假名慈善，實際斂財，外表從事好事，骨子裡卻是壞事做盡，不乏其人。聰明的動物，懂得偽裝，現今聰明的人類，偽裝的功夫，也一樣不含糊，以假亂真。     現在的社會，給人有造假的感覺，不但電視、電台裡有很多不實的廣告，販售假藥、假酒、假名牌、假食品等；社會上的假鈔、假學歷、假證書、假執照等，也比比皆是。很多藝術品，亦有「膺品」，真真假假，看起來像真的，其實是假的，假久了，好像又像真的了。在我們的生活中，有些人，看起來有熱情、有活力，熱衷於自己的事業，也喜歡挑戰。但是，他們沒有信念，隨波逐流，催眠自己，也欺騙了相信他們的人。人人都想要自我成長，從不願輕易放過可以自我提升的機會，看起來似乎充滿靈性，智慧與哲理，可是，他們也常常得理不饒人，不像是在自我成長，倒像是在苛責別人。很多人都懂得在父母親、先生、太太、員工、主管、孩子和朋友面前，把「愛」拿出來，強調都是為對方好，但又常常「以愛之名」，綁架關係。修行不在道場，但我們很容易把修煉的言行，用在別人身上，嫌別人身上的味道，卻聞不出自己的品味。其實，我們不是不清楚自己的習氣，只是，我們不想去面對真實的自己，想要「以假亂真」罷了！活在當下，如果我們能夠時時創造「靜心」的能量，那麼，我們內在的真心，便會呈現。我們承認自己確實不完美，並對自己完全的負責，好好地把自己的內心處理好，不要說謊，沒有藉口，那麼，我們才不會「以假亂真」，才可辨識真象，誠實與精進。     社會上有越來越多的資訊，都不一定是真的，而且，常常很多「以假亂真」，謊言、謊語，混淆視聽，實在可怕。我們每一個人的人生，也都有或大或小的困局，層出不窮的謊言與藉口，沒完沒了的真假與逆境。從學生時代的課業壓力，原生家庭的溝通難題，到談戀愛，進入婚姻的親密關係，我們似乎都會有相處的真偽、摩擦，與難以解決的問題。要面對人生真假、迷惘的各種困境，其實真的是要取決於當事者內心的強度。內心的強度，是一種韌性，強度夠強的人，就會有勇氣去拒絕不合理的要求，離開不適合自己的人事物，並積極企圖解決問題，跟隨自己內心的渴望去生活，去實現自己的夢想。內心的強度，要透過「行動」，不斷地增長，並且越行動，越能提升內心的強度。換言之，我們不只是要行動，而是要持續的行動。我們行動的起點，只需要一點點的改變就可以，我們的行動，就像一根柴火，要慢慢學會連動，要有「十倍放大」此行動的觀念。也就是說，我們要有意識地提醒自己，至少在行動前，內心要有十倍大的信念，我們要預先存夠對自己的肯定、對自己的愛、對自己的信任、感恩的心、好奇心與遇事沉著等……的內在元素，才會在遇到任何可預期，或出乎預料的外在事件時，用我們十倍大的強大內心，來執行行動，有所堅持。換句話說，我們內心的能量，要有十倍以上的庫存，讓我們在做事時，有持續的行動力，積極主動地追求夢想，努力以赴。這樣，我們才不會以假亂真，輕信且編一大堆的謊言與藉口，把自己的真象都蒙蔽了。我們要讓自己動起來，做自己最有興趣的事，過自己最真心誠意的生活，這樣，我們才會幸福快樂。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

Life Is a Blessing When we become frustrated with life and realize that it is breaking down, we often forget to count our blessings. We forget to give thanks. Whenever we are depressed, we often lose sight of what we have to be thankful for in our life. But if we consider it deeply, we would see that life is not so bad. Rather, it is a great blessing. We need to be thankful for the blessings we have in our lives. Here are some blessings that we are grateful for: 1. Health: No matter how wealthy we are, if we do not have a healthy life, then we have nothing. We cannot live a happy life with a disease-ridden body. We often tend to forget that our health is the most important thing. Good health is, indeed, one of the greatest blessings of life, and we shouldn’t overlook this great blessing. We should always be thankful for our health. 2. Family: A loving family is gifted from God. There is a long list of blessings in this world, and our family is always at the top of this list. We are so thankful that God blesses us with loving, caring, helpful parents and siblings who are there to do anything for us. Besides, we also have the best aunts, uncles, friends, and cousins as well. 3. Wisdom: Diamond is precious stones that are highly valued, but wisdom is far more valuable. Wisdom cannot be compared to any expensive things in the world. Wisdom cannot be compared to any wealth or fame in the world. It is a great blessing. 4. Sleep: Every living thing sleeps. God has made the night, especially, so that we can rest our bodies, muscles, hearts, and minds. Bedtime takes us away from the worries of this world, and gives us rest and comfort. Moreover, our existence is, simply, a blessing. Our seeing is a blessing, our hearing is a blessing, our smelling is a blessing, our eating and drinking is a blessing, and our walking is also a blessing. So we should appreciate these innumerable blessings and thank God for all these blessings. We can’t control all of the events in our life, but we, all the time, have the power to choose how we respond to them. Life is a profound and mysterious journey, filled with an array of experiences, emotions, and challenges. Despite the ups and downs that come our way, one fundamental truth remains: being alive is a blessing. To wake up every morning, breathe in fresh air, and have the opportunity to navigate the world around us is a gift that should never be taken for granted. In fact, every human life is a miracle. To exist, to live, and to be conscious of our surroundings is a phenomenon that surpasses comprehension. Despite life’s complexities and uncertainties, simply being here, alive and present, is a rare and beautiful occurrence. From the sensation of the warm sun on our skins to the sound of laughter, the smell of rain, or the taste of a favorite meal, everyday experiences enrich our lives. These small, seemingly insignificant moments often bring the most joy and can serve as reminders of how wonderful life truly is. Furthermore, the natural world around us is a source of endless wonder. From majestic mountains and vast oceans to lush forests and serene sunsets, nature provides a stunning backdrop to our daily lives. The beauty of the earth reminds us of the intricate balance and harmony of life, urging us to pause, breathe, and savor each moment. In addition, another blessing of life is the ability to form deep, meaningful relationships. Human beings are social creatures who thrive on love, connection, and companionship. Whether it’s the bond between family members, the support of friends, or the affection shared between lovers, relationships add depth and richness to our lives. They give us reasons to smile, to care, and to feel understood. The simple act of being able to share our thoughts, dreams, and experiences with others is one of life’s greatest joys. Besides, knowing that there are people who care for us, and stand by us brings comfort and strength. Love, empathy, and compassion make life meaningful, reminding us that we are not alone in our journeys.    By the way, life is not just about existing; it is also about growing, evolving, and learning. Every new day presents an opportunity to learn something new, to overcome obstacles, and to become a better version of ourselves. Challenges, failures, and setbacks are inevitable parts of life, but they are also opportunities for growth and learning. Through hardships, we develop resilience, patience, and wisdom. Overcoming adversity gives us a sense of achievement and empowers us to face future difficulties with greater confidence. Learning is a lifelong process, and every experience, whether good or bad, contributes to our personal development. Being alive allows us to continually explore new interests, expand our knowledge, and understand the world from different perspectives. It is this ability to grow and adapt that makes life a dynamic and enriching journey. Also, one of the most beautiful aspects of life is the presence of hope. No matter how difficult a situation may seem, there is always the possibility of change, improvement, and new beginnings. Every day is a fresh start, offering a new set of opportunities and possibilities. This sense of hope keeps us moving forward, inspiring us to pursue our dreams, set new goals, and find meanings in what we do. Hope is what makes us look forward to tomorrow. It encourages us to believe that things can and will get better, even when the present moment is challenging. This intrinsic hope is a powerful motivator, reminding us that life is filled with endless possibilities waiting to be explored. By focusing on the present, we can better appreciate the beauty of life, recognize the blessings we already have, and cultivate a sense of gratitude. To sum up, being alive is an incredible blessing, full of wonder, beauty, and endless possibilities. The opportunity to grow, connect, and experience the world is a gift that should be cherished. By embracing gratitude, finding joy in everyday moments, and nurturing our relationships, we can fully appreciate the blessing of being alive. That is, life is precious, fleeting, and full of surprises. Powered by Firstory Hosting

創造機會Creating Opportunities      Chris Grosser (克里斯·格羅塞爾)是橫跨運動、娛樂，汽車等領域的美國知名攝影師。Chris Grosser (克里斯·格羅塞爾) is a renowned American entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and photographer, known for his powerful philosophy: “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” (機會從不會無緣無故出現，他們是你所創造的。) It means that opportunities do not magically present themselves; rather, we have the abilities to create them for ourselves. In fact, there are five actionable pointers that we can get started on the path to paving our own opportunities to success. 1.    Define Our Objectives: In order to start the process of making opportunities for ourselves, one of the first things we need to do is to define our goals. It is important that the goals we have set for ourselves should be as specific as possible. In other words, we need to have a roadmap to follow in order to achieve our objectives if we first define them in great detail. 2.    Broaden the Scope of Our Network: Building a strong professional network has the potential to open doors to many different kinds of new opportunities. We ought to participate in events that are hosted by our industries, become active in online communities that are relevant to our fields, and network with other professionals. We try our best to make ourselves available to those around us by sharing our expertise or information. 3.    Never Stop Educating Ourselves: It is essential to prepare ourselves for opportunities in order to successfully create new ones. We invest in ourselves by furthering our education and improving our skills. The more we educate ourselves, the better prepared we’ll be to seize opportunities as they come our ways and make the most of them. 4.    Do Not Run Away from Challenges: Opportunities are frequently masked as challenges or impediments when they actually present themselves. If we want to grow as persons and learn new things, we shouldn’t run away from difficult situations; instead, we have to view them as potential opportunities. Sometimes, the most significant opportunities are hiding in plain sight right in the middle of the most significant problems. 5.    Take the Initiative to Get Things Started: In order to create opportunities, we must first take the necessary steps. Instead of sitting around and waiting for someone else to give us opportunities, we should go out and actively look for new ones. Taking the initiative can lead us to new and exciting opportunities, regardless of whether it’s presenting a creative idea at work or starting a project on the side. Opportunities are not elusive miracles; rather, they are the product of our efforts, mindset, and determination. Actually, we create our own opportunities and pave the ways for successful and satisfying careers if we set goals, expand our network, learn continuously, accept challenges, and take initiative. We need to seize the opportunities, go outside the world and start working to make things happen.     Furthermore, we are smart enough to understand our strengths, skills, and areas for improvement. We stay updated on industry trends, acquire new skills, and pursue further education or certifications if necessary. Continuous learning enhances our expertise and makes us more attractive to potential opportunities. We should be proactive and open-minded, and are willing to adapt to new circumstances or challenges. By the way, creating opportunities often requires persistence and resilience. We keep pushing forward and learning from our experiences. And then, we collaborate with others who share our interests or goals. Soren Kierkegaard suggested that we can act and create with a passionate sense of possibility to believe that things can get better, and that we can get better as well. Those people who have desires to serve and support others, really, enable them to flourish and live their best possible lives. Thus, we can see that the greatest satisfaction and meaning in life comes through believing ourselves and serving others. We get better through planning and the choices we make. When we are living and flourishing our best possible lives, we are viewing and experiencing the world positively. We do learn from the lessons of yesterday, and things can get better later on. Moreover, when we get better, others get better, too. Today is all we have, and we need to be present and grateful for every moment. Anticipating the joys or happiness of tomorrow is an extension of hope. The anticipation of positive or fun adventures or experiences, such as holiday celebrations, are meaningful events in our lives. Looking forward to something good happening is a powerful motivator for us. Interestingly enough, there are those occasions where thinking about something good in the future generates nice feelings in the present. We must, first of all, be mindful of opportunities and actually look for them. A person’s life can change and progress day by day, and each of us is unique. In fact, we vary in what brings us enjoyment today, what we look forward to tomorrow and even what we will see as opportunities or possibilities in the future. When we have strong beliefs that things can get better, we feel grateful, cherish our values and develop our plans for the excellent opportunities or possibilities to come. Powered by Firstory Hosting

Learning without Age Limit “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever,” said Mahatma Gandhi. Yes. There is no age limit for learning in the world. Learning is a process that it continues throughout life, and learning, actually, has no age limit. In other words, whatever our age, there is always something new to learn, whether it’s a new language, a new skill, or a new perspective on life. Learning provides several personal and professional advantages. It can help keep our mind sharp, boost our memory, and lower our risks of cognitive loss as we age. In today’s fast-paced world, technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, and new information is constantly emerging. This emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning more than ever before. Thus, it’s not only about learning new things; it’s also about developing the skills and adaptability needed to flourish in a constantly changing world. Furthermore, learning can provide a sense of fulfillment and personal improvement. It may help us discover new hobbies, push ourselves to grow, and connect with people who share our interests. The good news is that learning has never been more accessible. We may now study from anywhere, at any time, and at our own pace thanks to the proliferation of online learning platforms and tools. There are also many programs and workshops for older individuals who wish to keep learning and staying interested. Therefore, we might say that there is no age limit for learning; it is never too late to begin. The benefits of lifelong learning are numerous, and the chances are limitless, whether we wish to learn a new language, perfect a new trade, or just improve our knowledge. Young adults dream of having free time to do whatever they want. Then, retirement comes knocking. Now, it’s time to start thinking about how to fill all of the spare time that will soon be available. Retirement, on the other hand, presents an opportunity to learn and re-learn. The willingness to learn at an older age, especially enrolling to pursue a degree in an educational institution, probably is a trend, right now. In fact, it is never too late. For older people, they can come back to schools to learn lessons. Besides, learning is not only confined to educational institutions. Another way to learn at a much older age is by enrolling for online courses, attending seminars or listening to podcasts. Regardless of age, the pursuit of knowledge should be embraced and cherished. Education is not confined to the boundaries of a classroom, and there is no expiration date on our capacity to learn. Therefore, it is essential to recognize and appreciate that there is no age limit for learning. The traditional belief that education is solely for the young has become old-fashioned. Age should never be a barrier to acquiring new skills, exploring different subjects, or adapting to the ever-changing world. Learning does not have a specific timeline or expiration date. It is a continuous process that enriches our lives, broadens our perspectives, and keeps us intellectually engaged and stimulated. Embracing the concept of lifelong learning has numerous benefits, regardless of our stage in life. It enhances our cognitive abilities, improves memory retention, and stimulates critical thinking. Lifelong learning also fosters personal growth, builds self-confidence, and increases our adaptability to new situations. It is, really, crucial for us to carve out time for lifelong learning. Even dedicating a few minutes each day to read, listen to podcasts, or engage in intellectual discussions can make a significant difference for us and, specifically, for older people. From news, we also see that some people even join the professional courses at advanced age of 50/55, and succeed quite well. New ideas are emerging and new concepts are coming. The only way elders would lead a good and meaningful life in the future is to remain relevant in this highly unpredictable world. I find out that there is another but quite interesting perspective. Some of the elders did have the talents that remained hidden as unfulfilled dreams because of their demanding lives. Once they retire from professional job and complete all family responsibilities, these unfulfilled dreams drive them to charter new ways of life. Lifelong learning, truly, does not have any age restrictions. Equipped with traits like passion, commitment, drive and focus, we, especially, most of the older people, can learn anything at any age. To more effectively help older adults, a strengths-based approach to care rather than a paternalistic approach is essential. Older adults have a vast wealth of knowledge as well as a wide range of skill sets. While their quality of life may decline in the face of their aging circumstances, we should not view them as “high risks” but instead “able and capable.” We should not see them as victims but rather people who have hopes and dreams. It is important throughout life to dream big and never give up on what we really want. Older adults should be afforded those same opportunities to live boldly and to take risks. Nevertheless, in order to practice lifelong learning, the older people need physical strength, focus and perseverance. As we age, our bodies naturally undergo physiological changes that lead to a decline in muscle mass and strength. However, with the right exercise strategies, seniors can defy the odds and age strong. Strength training for seniors is not just about looking fit; it’s about preserving independence, reducing the risk of falls and fractures, and improving overall quality of life. Furthermore, many older adults have trouble maintaining focus and concentration as part of natural, age-related cognitive decline. The good news is that it’s possible to improve concentration and focus for older people. It simply requires a commitment to adopting new habits. This includes playing a musical instrument, learning to cook, taking up painting or learning a new language. Besides, having a strong social circle also reduces feelings of depression and loneliness, which could impact attention. Speaking with friends requires that we practice focus by paying attention to what they say, which also helps the older people maintain the ability to concentrate. The fact is that some of our elders believe that children always remain only children, and their experiences are much better than them. What they say might be probably right. But there are many things which create a lot of differences between earlier times and today’s time. Children, now, would want to take their own decisions. They don’t like anyone interfering in their ways. Due to these changes, we can no longer live the life our elders used to live. That’s why lifelong learning is necessary for both young and old generations. From now on, it’s better that our juniors and seniors can practice gratitude all the time by reflecting on daily blessings and expressing appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. Plus, both juniors and seniors should engage in social activities, such as group outings or volunteering, and foster their social connections through lifelong learning. Thus, we will build a better, more inclusive and resilient world for everyone. Powered by Firstory Hosting

愛的實踐 《愛的藝術》是埃里希．佛洛姆 (Erich Fromm)在1956年出版的書。佛洛姆這本書最大的論點，即愛是一種能力，一種信仰、紀律、專注、耐性和練習的能力。佛洛姆認為，愛是一門藝術，需要知識和努力，愛不僅是愉悅的感受，更是兩個具有愛的能力的人，努力製造出來的。成熟的愛，是在保有自己完整的前提下，再主動去愛別人的力量。是在給予的行為中，感受到自己的強壯與豐饒。「施」之所以比「受」讓人更快樂，不是因為那是一種剝奪，而是因為「給予的行為」，是在表現我們自己蓬勃的生命力。當我們把自己生命裏活生生的東西給予出去時，我們同時把我們的喜悅、我們的興趣、我們的了解、我們的知識、我們的幽默，和我們的憂愁給出去，，那麼，我們便增強了自己的生命感，也擴大了他人的生命感。愛是一種喚起愛的能力，當我們努力去愛時，我們才會明白真正的愛，然後，才會體察到我們也正接受他人的愛。正如同我們信任，所以明白信任的必要，然後，才能感受到信任隨之而來的責任和能力。又如，因為我們具備藝術的修養，所以去欣賞藝術，然後，我們才感受到藝術帶來的樂趣。當我們努力去愛，然後感受到愛的那一刻，我們就可以清楚地知道，我們正在以正確的方式去愛。佛洛姆提到，愛的基本元素是：照顧、責任、尊重和了解，它們是所有愛的形式共有的特質。愛是我們對所愛者的生命及其成長的積極照顧。例如，因為我們愛著那棵玫瑰，我們日夜看顧澆注，對保護玫瑰產生了責任感，玫瑰便成為我們最珍貴的花。愛裏也要有尊重，因為我們尊重，所以我們讓玫瑰以自己的方式，而不是符合我們需要的方式成長。然後，以愛和照顧為動機的責任，再去尊重，是最超越和最深層的了解。     佛洛姆也強調母愛的重要。母愛是無條件的，它不需要被贏得，也不能被獲取、被創造和被控制。如果母愛存在，我們就是處在至福之中；如果母愛不存在，生活就失去一切美好。母愛有兩個層次，其一是照顧和責任，是保護小孩生命與成長的必須。另一個層次是態度，母愛會在小孩心中灌注對待生命的態度，讓他們覺得活著真好。自愛，是肯定自己生命的快樂、成長與自由，它植根於我們的愛的能力，及我們對自己的尊重、負責和了解。男女愛、兄弟愛，也都要先自愛，然後，再出自意志的行為，決心把自己對待生命的態度，委身給另一個人，或奉獻給親朋好友。最後，對神的愛，既不是在思想上了解上帝，也不是心中存有愛上帝的意念，而是與上帝合一的體驗。因為，上帝是人類的究極目標，所以，我們應當活出神的樣貌，在生活中的一切行為，全都要按照正義的原則，與神同在。     佛洛姆在書中說，愛最重要的是「愛的實踐」，愛是動詞，不是名詞，不是光說不練，而是要實際採取行動。愛的首要條件是自律，因著相信愛，我們要主動地、自律地去練習自愛與愛人。其次是要專注，花時間專注，就是愛。第三個條件是耐心，即使慢，即使看不見成果，我們也要表現愛。第四個條件是態度，我們要把整個生活的態度，都奉獻給愛。我們要練習實踐自律，學習專注，學習獨處，認真傾聽對方，全然活在當下，耐性地了解和接納自己與他人。最後，愛最需要的是信仰和勇氣，我們要有去冒險的能力，隨時準備好接受痛苦和失望。我們要能夠有勇氣的愛和被愛，要把生活中的種種困難、挫折與傷痛，看作可讓我們得到愛的挑戰。去愛，意謂著我們可能得不到任何好處，卻要把自己完全的給出去，但我們也會在被愛者的身上喚起愛，再將愛回饋給我們。佛洛姆盼望，我們都可以成為能愛人的人，有信仰，勇氣，自律，專注，耐心，獨立，了解，尊重，投入與責任。     佛洛姆的「愛的實踐」，說穿了，就是宇宙的法則。在宇宙中，愛是一種力量、一種振波及一種能源。愛是宇宙的法則。愛就是神，神就是愛，我們在世界上每個重大的事件，都是神刻意的愛的安排，萬物絕對沒有巧合和偶然，一切的發生，都是互相聯繫、制約與相連的。雖然，我們所了解的振波、能量，只限於可見光、X光、紅外線、紫外線……等等。但其實，我們的情感和思想，同樣是宇宙的振波，只是頻率與振動不同而已。宇宙擁有最高級而完美的振波，那就是愛的法則，愛是無緣大慈，同體大悲。所以，當我們選擇無私的去愛人時，一股源源不絕的能量，會從我們的心中湧出，滋潤和活化我們的身體。我們的身體本身，就是一個能量系統，當我們與他人接觸和交流時，我們是透過能量的放送，來做溝通的。我們愛的能量，會從我們的心輪散發出去，朝向我們所愛的人，及與我們關聯的人身上。我們越愛人，我們內心產生出來的能量就越多，我們的身體，也就會越健康與和諧。而且，被我們愛的人，也同樣能從我們釋放出來的愛的能量中，獲得很大的益處。因此，我們每天都要練習愛的能力，那是很重要的。如果我們能夠時時記住，我們是生命與愛的無窮泉源，那麼，這整個宇宙，就會永遠快樂、美好。愛是我們每個人非常切實可行且有益的選擇，因著愛，我們的世界與生命，將會獲得永恆的健康、和諧與繁榮。   Powered by Firstory Hosting

對別人要樂觀其成，對自己要非常努力 對別人做的事，我們要樂觀其成。在這個世界上，我們每個人都是獨一無二的，我們每個人都擁有不同的背景、價值觀和生活經驗。雖然我們無法改變別人，但我們可以選擇如何對待別人，那就是尊重別人。尊重別人，就是敬重對方的觀點與感受，並能肯定對方的能力與內在特質。尊重是可以學習的。心理學家霍勒曼（Holloman）與耶茨（Yates）歸納出以下表達尊重的語彙： 1. 鼓勵的語彙 2. 寬容的語彙 3. 表達對對方的理解 4. 表達重視彼此的觀點 尊重，是一種美德，也是一種智慧，它不僅能讓我們獲得良好的人際關係，也能讓我們在這個世界上，活得自在與快樂。尊重並不代表毫無原則地迎合對方，而是發自內心地接納別人的獨特性。我們每個人都有自己的想法和選擇，這些選擇或許與別人不同，但並不代表是錯的。而且，我們也不該因為別人的選擇與我們不同，就對其加以批判或貶低，而是要試著去理解，甚至學習如何包容不同的聲音。真正強大的人，並不是批評別人，來突顯自己的優越的，而是懂得尊重每一個人。在職場上，領導者如果能夠尊重員工的意見，傾聽不同的聲音，他的團隊往往會有凝聚力，員工也會更願意為公司付出。同樣地，在家庭關係中，若夫妻、家人之間，能夠彼此互相尊重，而不是一味地要求對方，按照自己的方式做事，那麼，家庭生活也會更加和諧。      當然，面對親人或朋友，特別是和我們關係密切的人，我們自然會很在意對方的想法或心情。其實，關係愈緊密，我們愈需要學習理解。理解，意味著尊重別人因其生活經驗，所形塑的價值觀、想法或做法，及衍生的情緒感受。理解，不需帶著評價，也無所謂好壞或對錯。在人際關係上，本來就是彼此互相的，自己做好是應該，但是，不要用自己的標準來要求、衡量別人。每個人都有自己的優缺點，只是差異不同，不論我們外在有多謙恭有禮、光鮮亮麗、或品學兼優，甚至在朋友面前，有多隨和、脾氣好，但我們總是有弱點的時候，與其想要改變別人，不如先改變自己，接納包容別人。對於別人做的事情，我們就是要樂觀其成，要讚嘆、喜樂，感恩歡愉才是。      再者，我們要對自己非常努力。生活從來不會辜負每一個努力的人。當我們越努力時，我們就會變得越幸運。我們要在自己人生的道路上，一直努力奔跑，變成自己喜歡的樣子，擁有自己想要的美好生活。我們要讓努力感動自己，讓努力遇見更好的自己。牛頓說：「無論任何事情，只要肯努力，沒有不成功的。」生活不會辜負每一個努力的人，那些轉錯的彎道，孤獨的夜晚，滴下的汗水，都會讓我們成為獨一無二。只要我們對某個東西有追求，一直在不斷地追求，不斷的努力，並為之付出代價，總是會有回報的，這回報有時來得快，有時得到得晚，但請耐心等待，成功之花，一定會為我們而開的。一個真正努力的人，是有執行力的人，他/她懂得掌握自己的工作量，制定如期完成的計畫和策略，發揮高度的時間管理，並有效率地達成目的。所有的事情，都取決於我們的選擇。在人生的旅程中，我們經常面臨各種各樣的選擇。這些選擇，不僅影響我們的生活質量，更決定我們成為什麼樣的人。「選擇，是一種力量，也是一種責任。」我們每天都在做選擇，從生活中的小事，到人生中的大事，無時無刻，我們都在選擇。而這些選擇，決定了我們未來的方向和高度。既然選擇了，我們就要有決心和態度，努力地盡全力付出與達成。我們要勇敢的去想像，很努力地把我們的選擇具象化，寫下來、畫下來，變成長期計畫，把長期計畫，再分割為中、短期細項。每天，我們都要為自己做一些行動，勇往直前，不要後悔，努力達成目標，無怨無悔地，開心完成每一件事。無論大事、小事，一旦選擇，我們就把它當作唯一，帶著微笑的勇氣，盡我們自己最大的努力去實踐。生活不會辜負每一個努力的人，我們要讓努力感動自己，讓努力遇見更好的自己。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

心之所向Following My Heart 我心心念念的事是，我要有一間屬於我自己的舞蹈教室。     There are two ways of determining if we are “following our hearts.” The first way is whether we are following the desires that our hearts are calling us or not, and the second one is if we are living in our hearts. In other words, one is about the actions we are taking, and the other is more about we are the exact persons. Doing what we love means that we have to listen to our intuition, and take actions to follow our passions to the world without fear. Our society today is driven by our minds, our fears and our ego. We do not place as much value and emphasis on passion, love, fulfilment and spiritual purpose. Rather, it is about external success, money, security, stability and reputation. As a result, many of us do not feel it is that important to really tune in to our hearts and hear what they want. This is the reason why when we attempt to start following our hearts, we cannot do what we desire. In fact, our hearts’ desires may not have an initial guarantee of income, or it may require a pay cut. It may mean that we have to go against what our family wants for us, or what our friends expect of us. We, certainly, come across some people, all the time, who have these amazing, beautiful dreams and desires, but they suppress and ignore them and tell themselves that they never have them. For most people, it is much easier to live in denial than actually face what they really want. They would rather pretend that they are happy with what they have, and justify to themselves that their inner dreams are not so important anyway. To get started, we must begin by finding the courage to discover what our hearts want. We may experience feelings of confusion, self-doubt and even regret what we do in the first beginning. It’s OK. It is time for each of us to wake up, and connect with what we surly want. In order to do this, we have to be willing to do things differently, and to challenge the expectations that others hold of us. Our hearts, in reality, are connected to something larger. We might call it Spirit, the Unconscious, God, Higher-self, or the Universe. When we follow our hearts more, and our minds see the results, the integration naturally occurs. We’ve probably seen others follow their hearts. It looks good, but, on the contrary, we doubt our own abilities. They must have some kinds of magical abilities, right? No. They’ve simply experimented a bit more. They aren’t fearless. They just take things one day at a time, and one step at a day. They do feel fear, overwhelm, and confusion, just like everyone else. The difference is that they have developed the trust in themselves. One of the main ways that we can follow our hearts is by noticing our feelings. Those feelings come with peace and encouragement. They are enduring. The more we follow our hearts, the better we get at it. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about learning and discovering how our hearts communicate with us. We can say that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to act in spite of it. It’s about stepping into the unknown, armed with the belief in ourselves and the conviction that the journey is worth embarking on. Courage, yet, involves embracing vulnerability, and being open to the possibility of failure, criticism, or disappointment, but choosing to move forward because the potential for growth and fulfillment outweighs the fear of what we might go wrong.     Sooner or later, I will find an ideal dance space near “Kaohsiung Cultural Center,” where parking cars won’t be the problem. We all know that injury prevention is essential for dancers at every skill level, and having the right equipment can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and long-term damage. Therefore, the key components, such as a properly installed dance floor, well-positioned ballet barres and shatterproof mirrors, certainly, create a safer and more effective dance environment. In my dance space, the high-quality dance floor is necessary for safe dance practices. Ballet barres are a required equipment, too, that provides stability and balance during warm-ups, stretches and strength training. The excellent ballet barre, indeed, ensures that our dancers can engage in low-impact training safely. Besides, mirrors are another critical element in my dance space. For dancers, observing posture is really vital for correcting movements and avoiding injury from improper techniques. Wall-mounted mirrors are commonly found in my dance space, while portable mirrors provide a flexible solution for extra usage. These mirrors are lightweight, making the dancers in my space easy to move and adjust them with wheels. Dance is an art form that requires skill, talent, and dedication to master. The role of a dance teacher is just as important as that of a dancer, and it takes a unique set of skills and expertise to teach dance effectively. Of course, the first and most obvious requirement for a dance teacher is a strong mastery of dance technique. A dance teacher must be able to perform the movements they’re teaching with precision, clarity, and style. In addition to dance technique mastery, a dance teacher also need to have teaching expertise, including how to communicate effectively with students, how to break down movements into manageable steps, and how to provide constructive feedback and corrections. They are also able to adapt their teaching styles to the needs of individual students, whether they’re beginners or advanced dancers. Definitely, becoming a professional and successful dance instructor requires more than just technical expertise in dance. They should be adaptable and are able to modify their teaching approaches to cater to different styles and levels. All in all, in my dance space, our great dance instructors will teach skilled dance techniques to students, and will inspire, motivate, and cultivate a love for dance in their students. As Martha Graham, the mother of modern dance, once said, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul,” I will follow my heart to imagine that our dance instructors and the students will practice together on a journey of self-expression, creativity, and growth in my dedicated dance space soon.  Powered by Firstory Hosting

生死何去何從 根據能量守恆定律，能量不會無故生成，也不能無故摧毀，它只能以不同的形式，轉化存在。也就是說，在巨觀中的「滅」，其實是另一種形式的「存續」，人體分解，正是遵循著宇宙這樣的法則在運轉。「塵歸塵，土歸土」，宇宙萬物，都是分解、腐敗，然後，我們讓身體與周遭環境，融為一體，原本存在於我們體內的物質，也同時滋養其他生命的成長。試觀，我們每個人，都有過去，生命絕對不是突然產生與滅亡的。那麼，我們的生命，究竟從何而來？將往何處去呢？生命的過去，就是我們每個人的歷史，從小學、中學到大學，每個階段，都有歷史，如果我們知道自己生命的歷史，我們就能知曉生命的價值，而生命的價值，也不光是生命的過去，更是生命的未來。我們人的一期生命，不過數十寒暑，當生命結束後，我們要往何處去轉生呢？換句話說，我們這個形體消滅了，是否又有另一個形體復活呢？死亡是否就是投胎轉世，到其它地方繼續生長，所以才叫往生呢？據說，人的「生」與「死」，在宇宙中，就如同「冰」和「水」的互相轉遞一樣，水可以凝結成冰，冰也可以溶化成水；我們死了以後，是可以再生，生了之後，還是會死的；生生死死，死死生生，在生死輪轉之中，我們的生命，絕對是可以永遠不死的。因為，耶穌基督說：「信上帝者，得永生。」人的生命，應該都是永生的。   如果知道生命是永生的，那麼，我們就要修心養性、立功立德才對啊！任何人都有生老病死，我們對生則喜，歡慶祝福，面臨老死時，卻都驚惶、恐怖，此乃皆是常情。可是，生老病死，是人生必經的歷程，生固然可喜，老病死也未必可悲？如同一年當中，季節的變換，寒暑的更替，舊的一年過去，新的一年又開始，生命的延續，應該也是如此的啊！因此，我們可以不必害怕死亡，因為，死亡是生死流轉的自然現象。其實，人一出生，死亡就跟著我們了，死亡是隨時都在我們身邊的。生的時候，我們都想要有尊嚴，死的時候，我們更需要尊嚴。所以，死者臨終時，我們不要呼天搶地，要給死者有尊嚴，祈禱他們離去時，能到達更高的靈性層級。身體是載具，衰敗滅亡後，靈魂還會繼續存在。我們要在自己生前時，時刻培養內心心靈的聖火，我們也要在送別親朋好友的最後一程時，祈禱、祈求他們的靈魂，安詳地、無有恐懼地，接受神聖的愛與光，回到宇宙大地的懷抱。      平常，我們就要好好守住自己的心靈，因為，我們的心靈，就是我們的靈魂，生生不滅的。對於臨終前的告別，我們要以「感恩您，謝謝您」的心情，祈願死者能功德圓滿，死而無憾。法鼓山聖嚴法師說：「能生，則必須求生，非死不可，則當歡喜接受；感恩生存，感謝死亡。」在生命結束時，我們生前擁有的財產、名利，全都帶不走，真正可以帶走的，就是我們的慈悲心、智慧心和有功德的生命。想要「善終」，我們必先「善生」。真正的愛，是讓我們愛的人，沒有煩惱，被我們愛的人，沒有痛苦。以愛為中心來分享，內心就平安，我們就能適時放手，表現真愛。慈悲和智慧，是一體的兩面，有智慧的人，其內心世界，常能保持平靜、清楚、明白，不受環境困擾，還能關懷他人，這是慈悲心。我們在世，更要積極、正向地看待自己，學習開放自己的胸懷和心靈，善待別人，培育我們內心更多的慈悲。當我們仁慈地對待自己，體恤別人時，無論是生、是死，都會帶給我們無限的喜悅和快樂。生死相續相生，我們祈盼著，臨終有人陪伴，平時扮演好自己的角色，孝順父母、教養子女，認真活在當下，真誠擁抱生命，並坦然面對老病，這樣，我們才能很自在地迎接死亡，永續經營來生。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish求知若飢，虛心若愚 “Stay hungry, stay foolish (求知若飢，虛心若愚)” 這句話是蘋果公司創辦人賈伯斯(Steve Jobs)，在2005年史丹佛大學的畢業典禮演講時的結語。賈伯斯用hungry，是要我們保持渴望追求目標的動力及熱情，就像對成功的飢餓一樣，永遠不要滿足於當下，要有飢餓的態度和行動。不管做什麼事，我們都要把自己當個傻子foolish，不要為自己設限，要一直行動下去，要求知若飢，虛心若愚，順從自己的感覺，放心去做就對了。賈伯斯強調，對工作的熱愛，是人生中最大的動力，即使在挫折面前，也不要失去信心，要堅持找到自己熱愛的事物。生命短暫，我們要讓每一天，都過得有意義。我們要不斷地學習與成長，保持對知識的強烈渴求，就像飢餓時想吃飯一樣。我們要勇於突破自己，保持飢餓感，持續前進。再者，我們也要像電影「阿甘正傳」的主角一樣，不要害怕失敗或被嘲笑，要勇敢地嘗試新事物。因為愚蠢的嘗試，可能帶來意想不到的結果。保持愚笨的態度，則能讓我們不被自己的思維所束縛，相信一切都有可能，相信自己可以不斷地學習和成功。     Steve Jobs said “Stay hungry, stay foolish” in his famous speech for graduate students at Stanford University in 2005. But this phrase is not from Jobs himself. He quoted it from Stuart Brand’s magazine “The Whole Earth Catalogue,” published during 1960s in America. The quote was printed on the back of the last edition of this publication in 1974, and this was what Jobs wished the students for getting into life and work: Stay hungry, stay foolish. Jobs addressed Stanford’s graduating class in 2005, and his words, his touching stories, insightful quotes, and witty comments really make anyone proudly live by. When Jobs, one of the most successful men of his time, discussed his life as a student, he, too, felt the need to attend college. He faced what many people were deathly afraid of: uncertainty. His lack of understanding caused him to stop attending college. However, it turned out to lead him to learn his favorite calligraphy instead. Jobs talked about raising Apple from its infancy, but being shoved away after a decade of hard work. Nevertheless, his love of the work helped him carry on to greater success. In his speech, Jobs quoted the saying “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” and it has become many people’s motto. Staying foolish is realizing that we are still a fool, no matter how much we’ve learned or experienced. There is always more to explore. Staying hungry is wanting to find those things that we are still unknown and uneducated. In his talk, Jobs recounted three stories. The first was dropping out of Reed College, but showing up for the courses he wanted to take. Dropping out was a tough decision. Then, getting fired from Apple was the second. Clearly, it was not his choice, but it led him to create Pixar Animation Studios. Finally, facing death was so hard for him. When facing death, he realized that he had to follow his own intuition, and not to live other people’s lives. Facing death let him know that he ought to take chances to do what was truly important in his life. He taught us the true meanings of “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” It is a fact that when we stay hungry and stay foolish for things, the more knowledge we can acquire, and the better we get at succeeding. In other words, the truth is, if we stay hungry and stay foolish at all times, keeping a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset, we would, undeniably, flourish and succeed. First of all, while staying hungry and foolish, we, surely, know our true purposes of life. Anyway, it is the only way we can make a positive impact in the world. We can listen to our hearts and develop our awareness. We, then, would have ambitious, keep going and find ways to develop our ideas in our daily lives. Secondly, to stay foolish is to take risks. Taking risks that other people find irrational are a necessary part for any great success. When people say, “Being a dropout and start a business is foolish,” “Becoming a professional musician is impossible,” and “Devoting our life to solving a worldwide problem that no one else can is crazy,” they might not be true. On the contrary, the world would be boring and unchanged if nobody took the risks. Even though most of the people believe that they cannot change the world, it still does not stop the ones who do them from trying. We could have the courage to try to gain knowledge and have a mindset that challenges the common standards, not to accept them. And more often than not, we would, definitely, stay hungry and even stay foolish to challenge the status quo. Actually, “Stay hungry, stay foolish” can mean that we make a difference. It is a good advice for anyone to enter adulthood and independence, to go out there in the world, to leave the cocoon of home, to keep the dreams alive and to move forward to where we want to go. When we learn to stay hungry and stay foolish, we might try our best to take risks, think big and change things for the better. And if it does not work, we may be possible to attempt to do something different and keep on going. Albert Einstein said, “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” So, once we stay fresh, naïve, hungry and foolish, we really learn and grow. We take on the knowledge. We practice skills. We are never self-satisfied. Brick by brick, we, finally, build the real paths to achieve what we want. It is a timeless call to action. In the end, we are different to pursue our wildest ambitions with tremendous enthusiasm, without regard for the status quo. Learning is a superpower. When we “stay hungry and stay foolish,” we are hunger every day for our desires, we are different, and we never fool ourselves into thinking that we can become who we are today. Powered by Firstory Hosting

To Be Perfectly Imperfect The world is as a stage, and we are as actors playing our roles in it. And how can we learn to become a better actor. Shall we need to be perfect, whatever that means? Actually, trying to be perfect is exhausting. It’s a full-time job with no time off. However, when we say “I am perfectly imperfect,” we meant it in the best possible way or in the most optimal way possible. We, probably, cannot be perfect all the time, but we are finally learning to embrace ourselves as we are, not as we think we have to be. Perfectly imperfect might feel like, “This is who I am. I am not hiding.” It is rooted in self-acceptance. Imperfectly perfect feels more like noticing the beauty inside the flaws. In other words, letting go of perfection would let us be much kinder to ourselves. Whether we call it perfectly imperfect or imperfectly perfect, what we have learned is that perfection keeps us living small, and we are afraid to make mistakes. On the contrary, accepting the imperfections give us the freedom to be ourselves, without worrying whether we could fail or succeed.  In fact, in our lives, we have many flaws… like the way we talk, stand, and walk. We put too much trust into people. We are not confident in many ways. We might have been stuck in, for so many years, in order to appreciate who we are, and improve ourselves without the drive to be worthy in the eyes of others. The truth is, nothing is perfect, and to create the illusion that such an ideal could exist is a misconception because “perfection,” in its simplest form, is impossible to achieve. There will always be someone or something “better,” whether that’s in school, sports, family, or jobs. We, indeed, focus so much on comparing ourselves to the people around us because competition is what our society is built on. Whenever we plan to do something, we give it our best, and hope something great to come out of it. Initially, we do feel that the piece we have created is something beautiful and unique. But soon, we start to see the imperfections in it. We undervalue it and scrutinize our work. We end up getting trapped in a never ending loop of trivial improvements. Yes, it’s no doubt that we do have many flaws. Even though we strive to become someone who is perfect, and we all think that we should give more time to make the things perfect, probably, due to our flaws, there is no such perfect things at all in the world. The true magic always lies in seeing the perfection in the imperfection. Therefore, until the very end of our lives, we should admit that we have done our best, and have perfectly kept on moving to the imperfect world. I want to take CCVS’s (Kaohsiung Municipal Chung-Cheng Industrial High School) YLP (Youth Leadership Program) as an example to illustrate the perfections in imperfections. First of all, the students of CCVS are not majoring in English. They only have regular English classes in school. They don’t even have extra time to train their English speaking skills. In other words, they are, truly, imperfect in their English abilities to match the goal of YLP. Secondly, by a sponsoring Toastmasters club (Golden Noon Toastmasters Club), YLP is a workshop consisting of eight one-and-a half-hour meetings that enable CCVS students, between the ages of 14 and 18, to develop their communication and leadership skills through practical experiences. In the meetings, these students will learn how to evaluate their own speaking abilities, prepare and deliver speeches, and control their voice, vocabulary, and gestures. Meetings are like Toastmasters club meetings that YLP, especially, helps students build effective communication skills, while understanding their own communication styles. However, in real situations, eight meetings cannot guarantee the students to acquire the techniques of English speaking. That is the imperfect environment. Finally, in such imperfect classroom managements, students still try their best to practice English, and deliver their speeches no matter how terrible they might present. This is the true courage that I do admire them. As an English teacher as well as an experienced Toastmasters member, I can see their fears. But, on the other hand, I notice that these students make progress week after week because of their constant practices. I do appreciate their efforts and respect their endeavors. This is the confidence for them to show their will for learning whatsoever. Since childhood, we have been taught by the society that we should always try our best. We want to come first in class because that will make us become good students. We want to earn much money so that we can perfectly spend it wherever we want. That’s true. We do our best all the time. Then, what happens when we encounter experiences overloaded with sad emotions than goodness and happiness? In many circumstances, we actually know our deepest fears and also our deepest strengths. The outside world is permanently imperfect. We really can’t control it. That means, it is impossible for us to pursue the goals of perfection, and reach for the wonderful conditions outward. The only thing we can do is that we can be perfect as much as possible in the face of imperfect things around us. When we look back at our lives, we could evidently see many flaws, and few incidents are perfect. These imperfect things, definitely, expose our weaknesses and insecurities. But, in our hearts, we, keenly, perceive that we, surely, make efforts and work hard. That’s enough for us to be perfect in front of imperfect circumstances around the world. Powered by Firstory Hosting

人緩則安 「事緩則圓，人緩則安，語遲則貴」的意思，是指碰到事情不要操之過急，要慢慢地設法應付，才能得到圓滿的解決。「事緩則圓，人緩則安，語遲則貴」，這三句深富智慧的話，是出自清代俞萬春的《蕩寇志》，它啟示我們，面對困境時，不宜過於急躁。當遭遇挑戰時，要冷靜思考、循序漸進，在生活中，也應保持淡定，不要過於焦慮，說話時，更應當謹慎，有分寸，言之有物，才能使語言更具價值。這三句話，不僅是一種生活的智慧，更是我們為人處事的指引。換句話說，「事緩則圓，人緩則安，語遲則貴」的意思，是要我們遇事慢慢處理，不要操之過急。生活要慢慢適應環境，不要急於求成。說話要慢慢思考，不要急於表態。      首先，「人緩則安」意指，人在面對事務時，若能保持緩慢從容的態度，不急於求成，則能處於穩定和舒適的狀態。它提醒我們，要沉著應對，避免過度焦慮和急躁，因為心境的平靜，有助於迎接變數，並達成圓滿的結果。  l  保持冷靜，避免情緒干擾：  在遇到問題時，不要被急躁或焦慮的情緒影響，須從長計議，才能避免決策失誤。  l  循序漸進，穩紮穩打：  緩慢並不代表停滯不前，而是採取穩健、有條不紊的步調，一步步解決問題，以確保最終成功。  l  適應環境，保持穩定：  當改變發生時，不急於求成地去適應，而是給自己時間，慢慢地適應環境，才能保持心境的穩定與舒適。 「人緩則安」提醒我們，如果我們能夠緩慢地生活，我們就能夠更好地享受每一天。因為，當我們匆忙地過日子時，我們會感到焦慮和緊張，進而影響我們的健康和幸福。相反地，當我們緩慢地生活時，我們可以更好地享受人生，提高幸福感和生活品質。在現代社會中，我們經常會感到壓力和焦慮，那是因為在競爭激烈的世代裡，我們必須不斷地努力，才能保持競爭力。然而，這種競爭激烈的生活方式，往往導致我們疲憊不堪、焦慮和緊張。因此，如果我們能夠學會緩慢地生活，我們就能夠更好地把握每時每刻的快樂與美好。      其次，「事緩則圓」強調，我們遇事，要慢慢處理，不過於急躁，才能得到圓滿的結果。無論我們遇到什麼問題，其實都不用急著馬上回應，船到橋頭自然直，人生也絕不會因為單一的事情就毀掉。在空間上，我們自己最要緊；在時間上，此刻當下最重要。所以，我們不要焦慮，不要內耗，允許一切事情，自然發生。就算當下的結果，不是我們想要的，我們也要相信，未來會慢慢長成我們喜歡的樣子。泰戈爾說：「即使向空谷吶喊，也要等一會兒，才能聽見回音。」好事多磨，慢有慢的好處，晚有晚的道理。我們因為常常想要控制結果、追求完美，反而給自己帶來不必要的壓力。遇到問題時，我們不用急著去改變外在的世界，我們唯一需要關注的，就是自己內心的反應。靜就是吉，緩就是機。堅信凡事發生，必有利於我，給自己多一點時間，就是給好運多一些機會。時間是一種寶貴的資源，它可以帶來成功和幸福，也可以是失敗和痛苦。在現代社會中，我們經常被迫快速地做出決定和行動，這使得我們常忽略時間的價值。如果我們能夠學會緩慢地思考和行動，我們就能夠更好地掌控生活，實現目標和理想。      最後，「語遲則貴」是指，說話應謹慎思考，不貿然發言，這樣，才能使語言更有價值。我們在面對與人相處和言語交流時，應當要保持緩慢、從容、冷靜，要好好地思考，充分地表達自己。在現今社會中，溝通和交流是非常重要的，古訓道：「知止而後有定，定而後能靜，靜而後能安，安而後能慮，慮而後能得」。心浮氣躁的人，難成大事；真正的強者，大都能平靜如水，保持清醒的頭腦，不慌不忙，有條不紊。我們每個人，總會遇到形形色色的急事、難事、爛事。慢下來，靜下來，積蓄力量，穩住情緒，掌控心態，這樣，我們才能更加清晰，輕鬆地再出發。做到事緩則圓，人緩則安，語遲則貴，心靜則安，我們才能修養好自己的心態，修行好自己的心境。凡事不可急躁，心緩地接納，慢慢地觀察，抽絲剝繭地分析，我們才能找到問題的出口，對症下藥。事慢則圓，人慢則成，為人處世，沉得住氣，才能隨時靜下來，水到渠成。     《小窗幽記》道：「處事當熟思緩處，熟思則得其情，緩處則得其當。」真正的智者，遇到問題，從不着急，而是懂得深度思考，耐心分析，直到豁然開朗。《禮記》云：「水深則流緩，語遲則人貴。」水越深的地方，水流越平緩。那些有涵養、有人品的人，說話不急不慢，不慌不忙。我們做人，說話，不單要慢一些，說得清楚一點，還要說得少一些。《周易》云：「吉人之辭寡，躁人之辭多。」說話慢半拍，或是少說話，甚至是不說話，才能避免禍從口出。寧願做一個善於聆聽的人，也不要做一個尖酸刻薄、冷嘲熱諷、咄咄逼人、污言穢語的人。會說話的人，能愉悅人心，也能成就彼此。心靜則安，心靜，世界就靜了。世界靜了，一切雜物，都將會沉澱。凡事萬物，我們都要懂得清虛靜泰，才能活出從容、淡定、心安、心足。真正的智者能人，遇事從不着急，放緩步調，看清形勢，合理判斷。謹言慎行的人，尊重別人，心靜如鏡，心安存福，他/她必能從容地邁過坎坷，熬過波折，樂享當下的歲月靜好。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

天馬行空的脫框   想想看，我們每天的生活與工作，常常被「因為非做不可，所以只好去做」的事情佔據。也許，有些人連什麼事情想做、什麼事情不想做、為什麼自己要做，都搞不清楚，實在可悲！活在這個時代，我們要取得資訊，並不是難事。電腦網路，愈來愈精密，要接收多少訊息，也不難。再者，除了新聞媒體和社群網站外，我們也可以透過讀書、學才藝、參加研習或講座等，來贊同或發表「自己獨一無二的觀點」。但是，在這個社會上，我們根本不太可能脫韁，產生想要以「自我模式」的思考，或以內在的動機發聲，因為，在我們僵化的國家體制下，群體的思想，是大過於個人思想的。例如，如果有小朋友說「我的夢想是當太空人」，我們會認為，他是個有前途的孩子，但是，如果長到一定年齡的成人，還說這樣的夢話，別人很難不回應：「都已經老大不小了，還說這些話。」年過五十的上班族，如果突然說：「我想要當電影導演」，那會讓很多人，大吃一驚的，或許，還會有人在背後嘲笑他呢！所謂的夢想或願景(vision)，一般大人都會覺得，那是在做白日夢。應該這麼說，不按牌理出牌，敢於求新求變，不是不可以，而是很辛苦，失敗率高，也不被看好。然而，事實上，「真正有價值的事物，只會從夢想中誕生」。我們甚至還要故意去思考一些脫離現實的事情，才會有創意與創造力。換句話說，真正有價值的事物，是從「天馬行空」中誕生的。不按牌理出牌，不是空想，而是對原有的規則，勇於突破。「天馬行空」的思維，不是要想得很周全才做，而是在「直覺」的那一瞬間，斗膽實踐。世界上不變的道理，就是「變」，而人只要努力嘗試地去改變思維、作法和態度，一定會更加適應新的環境，變得更活躍的。蛹在蛻變成一隻美麗的蝴蝶之前，一定是經過一段寂寞與漫長的煎熬的，因為「完美」是需要很長的時間，才能辦到的啊！不按牌理出牌的思維，是與眾不同，基本上，不是一般人很快就能接受的，但是，如果我們能靠著「直覺」，堅持己見，擇善固執，總會達到自己想要的目標的。      我們對現實的感知，影響著我們的行動。那些早就知道的事情，我們總以為理所當然。我們人類的思考，常常是在一定的框架內的。不要框架、跳脫框架，好像會心慌，不知所措。這個世界，有各種模式，我們已經被教育及教導，預測事物的發展，瞭解任何狀況，試圖事事都掌握在自己手中，甚至還不斷的沙盤演練，完全控制，不容半點出錯。而且，正是這種心智模型，為我們帶來秩序，讓我們能夠無視不必要的事物，而很快地抓住重點，精準的執行任務。例如，我們需要做出重大決定時，像是換工作、生小孩、買房子、關掉工廠、蓋一棟摩天大樓等，就最常有這樣的客觀邏輯。但是，以我們日常生活的感受來說，有時，不要框架，反而海闊天空。社會上許多問題，之所以如此棘手，究其核心，就只是各方採用了不同的思考框架而已。例如，美國和其他國家之間，究竟是該築起一道牆，還是搭起一座橋？蘇格蘭究竟是該留在英國，或是獨立？中國對香港的「一國兩制」，究竟是一國，還是兩制？對於同一個情境，我們因為思考框架不同，看在眼裡，就有完全不同的樣貌。每一種思考框架，都會讓我們用某種獨特的視角，來看世界，或許要放大元素，或許就縮小元素。同樣的資料數據，不同的思考框架，就會有不同的結論。有時，我們慣用的思考框架，不見得和現實契合。那麼，也許不要框架，我們才能用不同的方式，來解決問題。平常上班工作時，要舉辦活動，我們總會覺得創意不足？寫不出文章，活動內容想不出來？創意是如此的遙遠與難以接觸，而創意又有點叛逆，不走常規，想要擁有創意，我們就要跳出現有的思考框架，先要有一顆好奇心，不要認為每件事情都習以為常，枯燥乏味。其次，我們也要擁有開放的心，走出自己的舒適圈，去擁抱各式各樣新的想法。那些思想或立場，慢慢地在我們的腦中拆解、融合，將來就會成為我們創意的養分。創意是可以被訓練的，面對問題時，我們要去想像那些各行各業的人物，他們是用什麼思維、態度、準則、專業去處理事情的。或者，反過來，我們逆向思考也行。或是，我們先暫時放下這件事，去散步、慢跑、玩樂，來放鬆大腦，然後，我們就會有創意了。      天馬行空的想像，無限遼闊。想像力是人類與生俱來的天賦，保有這份想像力是幸福的，具有想像力的人較樂觀，也較熱情，並喜愛探索世界，充滿創意。著名物理學家愛因斯坦說：「想像力比知識更重要」。未來的時代，我們真的需要更多的創意人才，也就是說，創造力和想像力，是未來重要的競爭力。我們生活的範圍，非常有限，但是，想像的世界，卻可以無邊無際。想像力在我們的生活中，無所不在，千奇百怪，它常常影響著我們日常生活所做的一切。許多名人，如比爾·蓋茨和史蒂夫·賈伯斯，都運用了他們的想像力，預見個人電腦如何改變世界，並發明微軟和蘋果。想像力確實影響著我們的每一個行動，它有無限的可能，永遠驚喜。我們要有意識、有知覺地跳脫框架，運用想像力，才能無時無刻，都有創意，充滿新鮮。我們天馬行空的脫框，可使我們永遠海闊天空，開開心心，呼吸並享受著宇宙帶給我們的每一份恩賜。   Powered by Firstory Hosting

學校、老師與學生   學習，乃是人生不間斷的大事，它維繫著個人的發展，社會的進步，甚至國家的興衰。學校、老師及學生，是學習不可或缺的一環。一般而言，學習的場所是學校，學校設施，是指為達成教育目標，而設立的教學建築與設備，其內，包括校舍、庭園、運動場及其附屬設施等。學校的教室與辦公室，在校內的各建築物內；運動場包括田徑賽場地、球場、體育館、遊戲場與游泳池；庭園是指學校的庭院空間。學校是實施教育的場所，其設施與環境，應具備教育意味與價值，並擔負起薰育沐化的作用。學校環境與設施，大大影響著師生的健康、工作、休閒、情緒、場所感和歸屬感。其運作的良好，則能增進教師的教學效率，學生的學習成就，及師生對學校的認同感。因應近來多起刑事案件，為防範重大校安事件發生，學生應隨時注意自身的安全及預防，其注意事項如下： (一)上學勿單獨太早到校，放學不要太晚離開校園，務必結伴同行，或由家人陪同，不行經漆黑小巷，或人煙罕至的地方，及進出危險的場所。 (二)學生應配合學校作息時間，課餘時，避免單獨留在教室，不單獨上廁所，避免到校園偏僻的死角，以確保自身的安全。 (三)課後社團及自習班的教室，應集中配置，減少放學後樓層出入口的動線。學生如在校內遇到陌生人，或可疑的人物，應立即通知師長。 (四)遇到陌生人問路時，學生可熱心告知，但不必親自引導前往，切勿聽信他人的要求，繳交金錢，或隨同離校。 (五)學生在校外發現陌生人跟隨，應快速跑至人多的地方，或便利商店，並大聲喊叫，吸引他人的注意，尋求協助。 只要我們好好利用學校的設備，注意安全，學校內的設施，定可發揮其最大的功能，供老師與學生充分使用。     再者，一位好老師，需要不斷進步的專業知識、教學熱情、良好的品德操守，以及能將複雜事物簡化，並激勵學生的能力。也就是說，老師的專業特質，是要具備深厚的學科知識，能清晰且深入地傳授知識，並有主動學習的能力，不斷求進步。老師要對教學的內容和學生，有真誠的熱情，能付出心力，耐心教導，能贏得學生的信任，作為學生的榜樣。老師的專業與熱誠，是相互依存的，專業的知識，提供了教學的根基，而熱誠則是激發學生的學習動力。一位有專業和熱誠的老師，不僅是知識的傳遞者，更是學生的引導者，及心靈的啟迪者，他/她肩負著傳承文化，與培育未來人才的重大使命。當老師具有信任、真誠、開放、接納和耐心的人格特質時，學生自然能充分信任老師，願意開放地學習與討論，展現自己的能力。此外，現今的老師，更要以「生命教育」為重點，期望從情感、人際、生活、人生、生命各方面，啟發學生對「生命意義」的瞭解。在傳統的教學模式中，老師是站在教室前方講課，而學生是坐在下面聽課的，但是，有些學生全神貫注，有的則心不在焉。由於學生的程度不一，老師的教學，除了關心外，更需要熱誠與尊重。在「亦師亦友」的前提下，老師可親近地跟學生溝通、互動。老師「熱誠」的態度，學生絕對懂得，其情誼，甚至在學生畢業之後，還能長長久久，保持連繫。     最後，在這瞬息萬變的世界裡，學生在學校，要持續的努力，才能成就卓越的未來。其實，成功的背後，都有著無數不為人知的辛勤與付出的。學會努力，學生才能在歲月的長河中，築起屬於自己的燦爛未來。每個人都有夢想，無論是想成為一位出色的醫生，或是成功的企業家，我們都需要靠不斷的努力來實現。成功的過程，絕不是一帆風順的，往往充滿艱辛與挑戰。努力是一種選擇，當我們遇到挫折時，選擇努力，將決定我們最終的成就。在校園中，透過老師的教導，我們學生要努力的學習。對於學生而言，每一個清晨的早起，每一次對知識的探索，都是努力的體現。在努力的過程中，我們會遇到各種困難，經由老師在身邊的指引，我們學習鍛煉自己的意志，提升自我的能力。努力是一種生活的態度，因著良師的教誨，我們努力前行，學會在社會上的基本素養與技能。學校是一個教育學生的地方，它像一棵大樹，是成熟、茁壯的，學生就像樹葉一般，在成長中，有無限的可能。老師在學校，努力精進，教導學生，教學相長，落實「亦師亦友」，跟學生建立良好的關係，學生也相信自己的能力，努力達成目標，獲取好成績，將來貢獻社會。學校、老師與學生，相輔相成，缺一不可，讓我們一生的學習，活到老，學到老，永無止盡。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

Vision of My Life  Vision clarifies our life purposes. We all asked ourselves, at one time or another, that why we are here. And where do we see ourselves in life? In fact, we all are here with specific purposes, i.e., our vision. Then, what exactly is the vision? The dictionary defines vision as an act or power of anticipating which will come to be. In other words, vision gives directions of our lives to let our goals and purposes become a reality. So, in order to understand where we want ourselves to be in life, we must have a clear vision over our lives. Once we understand that vision clarifies purposes, life will become simpler and more meaningful. Actually, the vision of my life decides who I am now. First of all, vision chooses our friends and the company we keep. People are attracted and spend time with others who have the same vision, and are disciplined in their vision. That is, we normally make friends with people who know where they are headed in life. The great thing is that vision not only benefits and helps us, but also makes room for others to learn and grow in their purposes as well. Secondly, vision decides how we spend our time. In reality, how we spend our time is all connected to our vision. If our vision is important to us, the time we spend pursuing it will reflect it. In order to reach our goals and purposes, the time we spend will determine our actions to achieve our vision. If time wasted today, we cannot get back tomorrow because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Money, people, and opportunities can always come again later in life, but once the time is gone, it is gone forever. Therefore, if we have clear vision, we are sure that we won’t waste our time. On the contrary, we certainly make the most of our time to take action. Thirdly, vision creates our habits. Not only does vision decide our friends, how we spend our time, but also it creates our habits. Vision does a lot of things for us to realize what we want. For example, in order to strengthen my professional knowledge, I do take time to read books for 30 minutes every day. Day after day, I, finally, realize that it surely becomes my good habit to read books before I go to bed. Habits are the things that, most of the time, we do every day without thinking about it. It’s important to know that the way we spend our time, energy and resources can contribute us one step closer than we were yesterday. The truth is that our vision and purposes of life can help us create our good habits. At last, finding and realizing our purposes of life is not easy. But once we comprehend our purposes and write down the vision, our lives could become simple and less complex. Society has made us believe that the busier we are, the more successful and important we are. As soon as we understand our purposes and vision, we know why we are here, busy and what we want. I can see my vision to be an English teacher, a classical, ballet dancer, a pianist and a yoga practitioner. I am very happy to make friends with English teachers and ballet dancers. I spend most of my time to practice English, to dance and play the piano, and even to form good habits of rehearsing them every day. My vision really lets me know what I want and the purposes of my life. With vision of my life, I, indeed, feel pleased and enjoy myself very much.   Powered by Firstory Hosting

奇幻與現實 Fantasy and Reality  學生寫小說，請我拜讀，我十分樂意，只見主角、配角、英雄、軍團、人魚、反派人物、魔鬼、命運使者、怪物等···，充斥劇情，引發我無限地好奇與深思！小說中有1、英雄：他們承載著拯救世界的使命，具有強烈的道德感、勇氣和領導能力，經歷成長與挑戰，最終克服困難，實現自我救贖。2、反英雄：反英雄是追求金錢和復仇的角色。3、命運使者：這一角色往往肩負著某種預言或重大使命，注定要對抗黑暗勢力，充滿挑戰和自我發現。4、邪惡的統治者：他們是統治者或魔法師，追求權力與控制，利用其影響力，進行操控和陰謀，造成大量的衝突和混亂。5、墮落的英雄：此為反派角色，原本可能是英雄，但因悲慘的經歷或選擇，而走上邪路。他們的轉變，因被外部環境所迫，常引發同情和理解。6、無情的怪物：怪物或惡魔，代表人類內心的黑暗，其異形生物或超自然虛體，使英雄的旅程，更具挑戰性。奇幻小說很有趣，但是，奇幻不是為了逃避現實，因為，奇幻本身就是現實。說穿了，奇幻是透過不同的視角，看待現實。人們常會因煩惱，而尋求慰藉，奇幻正是我們現實的產物。在托爾金的《魔戒》中，種族的歧視，反映了殘酷的現實；精靈騎著高頭的大馬，是帶有優越感的；妖怪容不下仙女，便摧毀仙女的棲息地···等等。魔法、巨龍、寶藏、戰爭，小說的情節與故事，正是反映出我們所面臨的嚴峻現實。奇幻的魔法，讓我們看到神奇的世界，其實是與我們的世界，有多麼地相似啊。      我們的思想與價值觀，是出自人類的視野、認知與思維運作的，我們對虛構的想像，也是基於現實之所見。因此，虛構創作所呈現出的觀點、生活風格、生命概念與樣貌，及抽象的意識形態，基本上，注定逃離不了人類的心靈。平淡的生活，是不可能存在奇幻性的。奇幻、科幻小說，是因應現實而誕生的。奇幻故事，就是緬懷過往的美好年代；其想像的社會或夢境，則是寄情於古老的美好舊時光。想像離不開現實，甚至奠基於現實，所以，所有的奇幻小說，都是由真實的地面長出來的。奇幻小說是以虛構世界為背景，融合魔法、神話、超自然力量的文學體裁。故事常發生在一個虛擬的宇宙，超越現實的物理法則，充滿魔法、異種生物及英雄冒險等，這些元素不受現實世界的科學法則約束，擁有複雜的歷史、文化、地理及獨特的生物，通常以善惡之爭為核心。小說中的英雄，也肩負著拯救世界的使命或責任，透過冒險，獲得成長，最終戰勝邪惡的勢力。英雄借助超自然的力量和規則，創造出獨特的體驗，包括，逃離現實，體驗未知的世界，魔法、咒語、神器、及各種超自然現象，如巨龍、精靈、吸血鬼等，並經歷複雜的社會問題和哲學思考。其中，善惡的對立，是故事的主軸，善良的主角，與邪惡的反派之間的對抗，是推動故事情節的重要因素。此外，奇幻世界是廣闊無垠、充滿可能性的虛擬構想，我們藉由對虛構的無限，更能探索現實世界的深層底線。      直至今日，人類科學家仍在試圖探索大自然的奧妙、海洋的真實，以及宇宙的神秘。即便是在當前高度發展的世界，人類的科技，仍無法觸及並掌握造物的完全風貌。對於世界，我們仍抱持著懷疑、好奇，與想像，這就是奇幻。 奇幻，不單單只是有猛龍與魔法，有偉大的英雄，和傳奇的寶劍而已。在奇幻的背後，其實是我們對於真實世界的好奇與疑問。我們靠著想像力的發揮，一面根據現實去定義，一面根據虛構去塑造，然後，兩者結合、交融，形成似真非真、似假非假的奇幻世界。奇幻具有不受現實框架的約束，具有高度延展的空間，可以任意發揮，超級可塑。也就是說，奇幻小說的世界觀，魔法系統，人物構想，奇幻生物，乃至於神祇、古代神獸等，都超越人類現實的範疇，是可以有更多演化或延伸的，甚至還可以有多種變體，無盡的可能性。想像是人類所擁有的能力，當人類有未解的難題、無法實現的慾望時，人類就會藉由想像來尋找答案，或寄託於虛構的幻想。想像力，是可以有很瘋狂的想法的，例如，看到鳥飛，人們就會想，如果人也能飛，那該多好！如果人能在時間軸上旅行，回到過去、拜訪未來，那又會是怎麼樣？在人類的文化歷史中，想像力豐富的藝術家、文學家，都能創造出許多美好的作品，留傳千古。我們透過不斷地思考，提出新點子和解決問題，不但可以開拓思維，發揮想像力，還可以培養無中生有的創造力。想像力和創造力，讓我們充分享受在超現實的奇幻世界裡，確實豐富了我們生活的內涵，開啟了我們無限可能的思維，更增加了生命的創新與挑戰。  Powered by Firstory Hosting

儀式感與存在感 有儀式感的人生，我們才能切實地有存在感，真正地感知生命，熱情地享受生活。那麼，儀式感是什麼呢？儀式感是人們表達內心情感，最直接的方式。其實，儀式感的目的，是透過一些耗時耗力、可有可無的動作，來表達我們認為重要的意義。我們的生活，多半平淡無奇，今天和昨天，似乎沒有什麼不同，但因為有某個儀式的存在，我們就會覺得，彷彿一切都不一樣了，這就是儀式感。儀式感可以將生活中平淡的瑣事，轉化成有特殊意義的事件，進而觸動我們的心靈。    《小王子》裡有一個片段：小王子第一次遇到狐狸時，狐狸告訴他，相識是需要一定的儀式的，這很重要，因為伴隨著這個儀式，原本很多無關緊要的東西，就會被賦予意義。好比狐狸看到小麥，就會想起小王子的髮色。有了儀式，生活就會有期待，小王子每天下午四點會出現，那麼，到了三點鐘的時候，狐狸就會滿心期待。儀式感就是使某一天與其他日子不同，或是，某一時刻與其他時刻相異。在這個世界上，大多數人，都是庸庸碌碌的，時光總是很容易被虛度。儀式感的作用，就是要讓我們在日常的煩瑣中，體驗到真正的愉悅。儀式感，說穿了，不過就是做一些小事，例如，買幾朵花，增加愉悅感；和朋友聚餐，帶著鮮花，氣氛會變得更溫馨、浪漫。又如，出門吃飯，精心化個淡妝，再根據餐廳的風格，搭配相應的服飾，那麼，我們就會感到特別新鮮、開心了。儀式感的目的，是要讓人感覺我們在認真的生活，而不是蒼白度日。生活的意義，是需要主觀地賦予的，那是一種生活美學。沒有儀式感的生活，一年365天，除了吃喝拉撒睡，和日復一日重複的工作外，毫無期待，就算我們做了一輩子的好事，也沒人知道。我們尋求儀式感，只是在這個無情且殘酷的世界裡，讓某段時光或某個場景，能夠真實地受控於我們，並且賦予我們自己，有個人的色彩罷了。想像一下，在某個普通的午後，當我們端起一杯咖啡，四處看看時，是不是這一刻，突然變得特別不一樣了呢？一個小小地、簡單的動作，我們就能感受到片刻的寧靜和滿足，那就是儀式感啊！     接著，何謂存在感呢？人生在世，就像在一條漫長且黑暗的河流裡，不斷地漂泊、流浪，我們到底在哪裡呢？誰能切實地、清楚明白地知道呢？可是，我們是不是依然不斷地前行？所謂存在感，就是讓我們有意識的活著，像小燈塔一樣，我們靠著燈塔微弱、閃爍的亮光，別人就能看到我們，而我們也確定自己的存在。也許燈塔的小光會吹滅，但是，我們依舊努力地在讓燈塔發光，為每一個平凡的日子，普通的行為，照出屬於我們自己的特性。     存在型生活模式（Existential Mode of Living）是心理學家佛洛姆(Erich Fromm)，在20世紀中期，提出的一個重要概念。在他的著作《逃避自由》(Escape from Freedom)和《愛的藝術》(The Art of Loving)中，他認為，隨著工業化和資本主義的發展，現代社會中的人們，越來越感到孤立和無意義，這是一種「異化」現象。異化讓人失去自我、他人及世界的真實聯繫。佛洛姆強調，透過追求內在的自我，和建立有意義的人際關係，人可以克服異化，實現真正的存在。儀式感就是賦予人在日常行為的意義和連結，也就是說，儀式感讓我們在繁忙和碎片的生活中，找到意義，表現存在。人類學家湯瑪斯·摩爾(Thomas Moore)說：「儀式感賦予我們生活中的小事以靈魂，使我們的行動，充滿神聖。」所以，舉凡家庭聚餐、公司團康、節日慶典、宗教儀式、傳統婚禮等，這些儀式感的活動，不僅促進大家的互動和交流，還強化群體的認同和歸屬。當今社會中，越來越多人重視存在型生活模式，因為，透過儀式感，我們可以大大地提升生活的幸福和滿足。義大利有句流行的口頭禪：「Piano, Piano」，不是指鋼琴，而是指「慢慢來，慢慢來」。對當地的居民來說，這不只是一句口號，而是內化的生活態度。義大利人生活，動作很慢，他們放慢速度，並非放空、毫無安排，而是一種生活的平衡，沒有一定的公式，也不用特別到深山隱居。他們的慢活、慢養，是為了更自在、更長遠的社會秩序。換句話說，即便我們藏身在都市叢林，我們的精神，也能放個假，慢慢地幸福過活。儀式感就是在平日愈繁忙中，愈要好好經營時間，為疲累的身心加滿油，於是，隔天又是元氣滿滿！過幸福的小日子不難，就是要自己提案、自己實踐，讓生活真正活起來，不流於形式，只是熱情地認真生活，人生就很美好。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

回不去了 我們常會在繁華的深處，喧譁的街角，人際的紛雜中，感嘆回不去了。然而，是美好的，卻永遠存在。縱然，我們有很多事情，都回不去了，但是，我們若記得愛與被愛，那便是美好的回憶了。 回不去了。小時候，看到爸媽的眼神 回不去了。以前的日夜嘆息，原來可以開花結果 回不去了。想念爸媽的日子 回不去了。那時爸媽有多健康 回不去了。那些擦肩走過的人 回不去了。已經漲價了 回不去了。口罩也拿不下來 回不去了。開會都是線上，吃飯要外送、宅配 回不去了。日常且細瑣的食衣住行 回不去了。看著背影，心底總有好多話      是的，許多曾經，其實都過去了，時間每十年、十年地飛逝，就這樣，好多的人事物，都是回不去的。生命何其弔詭，在「回不去了」的同時，我們隨著時間的步調，又有新的地圖、新的計劃。生活一天天地過，看似單調，卻彷彿一直在重複。逝者如斯，不捨晝夜，我們好像只能活在當下，因為，所有的人事物，都有它回不去的理由，食衣住行育樂，無處不漲，世界變化萬端，朝令夕改，我們好像只有美好的曾經Good old days，卻不知未來的展望。      難道，沒有什麼我們能回得去的嗎？物質條件，恐怕沒有；但是，精神方面，也許我們可以自己訂製。人生只有一次，反正也回不去了，就該享受當下，用心過好自己的生活。我們如果能找到自己的生活節奏，讓自己的成長，穩步推進，為每天達成的小目標，感到充實和幸福，那就太棒了。因此，為了不讓自己有「回不去」的遺憾，我們每天都要自我反省與改造，不論大事或小事，都要自律，養成良好的習慣，我們若能看到自己的進步，就是開心。在生活中，遇到不知道的事物，我們就是要去理解，不讓自己的心思定型，要時常思考新的可能，發現新的自己。       是的，我們可以隨時設計巧思，讓生活過得不一樣，例如，處處製造儀式感，吃浪漫的餐飲，去公園散步、遛狗等。試著在生活中，注入新元素，摘一、兩朵花，寫三兩行字，即使是小小的設計，都能讓我們每天的生活，過得不一樣的。此外，我們要常常珍惜物品、珍惜自己。每天，我們都可觸摸身邊的物品，加入我們的氣息，讓物品顯得神采奕奕。同樣地，我們自己身體的各個部位，每天也要好好照顧，確認自己健康無恙。蔡康永說：「活著應該要體會成就感，而不只是去追求成功。關鍵是，我們要過自己的生活。」人生的每個階段，都值得做「生涯規劃」，自己的選擇與決定，非常重要。生涯規劃，是要找到我們自己理想的生活樣貌。理想的生活，不一定是買車、買房，也許要好好陪伴家人，或者，在工作之餘，發展自己的興趣，做對別人有幫助的事。自我覺察，也很重要，每一個覺察，都在幫助我們檢視自己，看看自己是否有自我肯定、自信和自我價值；是否有找到自己最舒適、自在的生活狀態。我們要隨時告訴自己：「今天的我，比昨天更進步，明天的我，比今天懂得更多。」人生的馬拉松，有無限的方向和可能。我們要調整步伐，定調屬於自己的成就感，活出自己想要的理想生活。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

宇宙的護持與庇佑 Support and Protection of the Universe 我們經常談論恆星、行星、動物、天空、地球、水與雪，卻忘了我們是大自然的一份子。所有的古代文明，都透過宗教、形上學和哲學來問，宇宙將走向何方？我們替恆星命名，測量出地球到月球的距離，在礦物學中，我們學到岩石的不同特質，還有地表變化的地殼運動等。當我們拿一個東西，並讓它從手中落下時，我們看到它向下墜落，是地心引力。地球上的小物質，與我們身處的大物質之間，有一種自然的吸引力，而且，我們知道此吸引力是永恆的、不變的。一般來說，當我們遇到困難時，我們會試著努力一段時間，但如果很困難，沒有解決，我們就會退讓。在大自然的事物中，它們擁有超越時間的韌性，並永遠都在達到目的，永不休止。一顆小小的種子，埋在冬天佈滿雪的土地下，會耐心地等待春天到來，當春天來臨時，那顆小小的種子，便破土抽芽，向上尋找空氣與陽光，長大成樹，開花結果，植物具備了「懂得等待與成長」的能力，那是「堅韌」。再拿「水」為例，無論我們把水倒在哪裡，水都會朝向大海而去，蒸發成氣體，上升到大氣，凝結成雲，再化作水落下，成為大自然循環的一部分。宇宙萬物，皆其來有自。葉子的呼吸孔，是在下方，而不是在上方，因為如果在上方的話，葉子會被灰塵覆蓋，無法呼吸，所以，葉子的呼吸孔，生在下方，這是巧合嗎？蝴蝶的翅膀顏色，剛好跟花朵、樹葉一樣，好讓牠不會被鳥捕食，這是巧合嗎？貓頭鷹的翅膀尖端，是平滑的，所以，牠們就能在夜間飛行時，不發出任何聲響，獵捕到兔子，這可能是巧合嗎？囓ㄋㄧㄝˋ齒類動物的耳朵，是向後的，這樣，牠們就可以聽到掠食者所發出的細微動靜，這可能是巧合嗎？我們可以透過光譜，將白色的光，拆分成七彩顏色，為何是七種色彩呢？雖然宇宙萬物是如此多重多樣，但它們卻不約而同的尋著軌跡活著，這冥冥之中，是否有一個大智慧，支配著這一切呢？我們不能說，大自然所有的一切，都是巧合。相反地，我們必須去意識到，是有一個最深遠的大智慧，安排了這一切的。     據了解，宇宙的自然運行，可分成七個原則： (1) 第一個原則是「合一」。整個宇宙是協調合一的，換句話說，所有的世間萬物，都遵循著「合一」的原則，相互協調成一個宇宙。當生命活著的時候，它們不會毀滅其它生命，而是使所有的生命，成為可能。例如，狼在草原上追趕鹿時，牠不會抓最年輕的，而是抓最老的，這意味著，即使在我們看來，是毀滅的行為，很殘酷，但卻是一種能讓物種得以永存的方式。自然中不存在任何問題、質疑或反抗的聲音，因為，所有事物都會完美的協調與平衡。 (2) 第二個原則是「光」。自然中的萬物，皆擁有光，無論是形體上的，還是精神上的。光在宇宙是永遠存在的，我們需要知識，去理解宇宙的光，來幫助我們去生活，提升生命。 (3) 第三個原則是「差異」。自然中的所有事物，都是不同的。沒有兩個東西，是絕對一樣，或完全相同的。所有的事物，都是不同的，就算是沙灘上的沙粒，看起來似乎一樣，但仍不盡相同。我們可以是相等的，但不是平等；我們可以是相似的，但不是相同。就好比不同顏色的馬賽克，具有相似的色調，但永遠不會完全相同。 (4) 第四個原則是「組織」。宇宙萬物都是有組織、有條理順序的。我們看到一顆樹，聳立於大地上，擁有結實的樹幹，茂密的樹梢，支持著鳥兒，讓鳥兒們得以築巢棲息，這是大自然的安排。換句話說，宇宙的一切，都組織得井然有序，都精心設計過，萬物才得以相互共存共榮。組織意味著支持，就好比我們的雙手是相反的，它們才能夠組織自己，把東西撿起來，如果我們的雙手，是面向同一邊，我們應該很難撿東西吧！「組織」這個原則，使我們在生活與工作的同時，讓我們與別人，都發揮所長，成為最好的個體。 (5) 第五個原則是「因果」。每件事物，都是之前有因，之後有果的。在任何時候，每件事物，都同時是某個事物的結果，也是其他事物的起因，它們是彼此相連的。也就是說，我們不能置身度外，漠不關心。當然，也不能好管閒事，惹事生非。 (6) 第六個原則是「活力」。所有萬物，都是活著的。當我們說一個東西是否活著時，我們常以它是否會動、會飛或會成長來做判斷。但是，打從宇宙出現的那一刻起，並不是只有會動的生物，才算活著，會回饋、反抗的無生命體，也是活著的。宇宙中所有的一切，都不停的在動，萬物皆被「活力」所滲透，生生不息。因此，當我們說一個生命死亡時，其實生命並沒有死亡，它們只不過是改變了活著的條件、形態或方式而已。我們說，人死後，會去另一個看不見的世界，但是，其實人一直都看不見自己。真正的人，是在他所做的事情背後、在他的身體背後、在他的言語背後、及在他的行為背後，一直都活著的，永不消滅。 (7) 第七個原則是「週期」。自有人類以來，我們就注意到自然中有白天和黑夜、夏天和冬天。是的，週期包含所有的東西，一切都是循環不止的。行星在天空中，週期循環，微小的粒子，也在原子內循環移動。「週期」原則，可使生命不斷地延續與活躍。我們要有洞察力，需要新科學，需要新藝術，與新政治，讓我們能夠和睦相處，彼此精進。宇宙本身，就是周而復始的大自然，春夏秋冬，潮起潮落，無一例外。我們唯一能做的事，就是護持大自然，強烈地活在生命提供給我們的每時每刻，相信大自然的庇佑，永遠都在，且於無時無刻，心中都要有愛、信心及感恩，我們才能活的更新、更好。     總之，和樂、和諧與合羣，是大自然的法則。從大自然中，我們看到很多真理，山河大地與日月星辰之間的平衡，恰到好處，身體的五臟六腑、四肢五官也相互協調。在宇宙裡，我們用理性與智慧，去看待一切。我們生命的本質，本自具足，不假外求。大自然的一切，也都互相利他，充滿大愛。我們只要在日常的生活、工作，為人、處事當中，各盡其職，恪守本分，心存善念，充滿信心，我們必會得到宇宙的護持與庇佑。 Powered by Firstory Hosting

信心、善良與自在 Confidence, Kindness and Feeling at Ease Confidence, kindness, and feeling at ease are all inborn and interconnected virtues that we possess to live in the world. Confidence allows us to navigate challenges with self-assurance, while kindness fosters positive relationships and a sense of connection. When we own the above-mentioned qualities, we experience a sense of ease and inner peace. Feeling at ease implies a sense of comfort, relaxation, and inner peace. In other words, when we are confident and kind, we are more likely to feel at ease in our minds and in social situations. By actively cultivating confidence, kindness, and a sense of ease, we, definitely, can create more positive and fulfilling lives for ourselves and others. First of all, confidence is a feeling of self-assurance arising from an appreciation of our own abilities or qualities. It’s about believing in ourselves and our capacities to handle situations and achieve goals. It’s also a positive expectation for us to succeed and to deal with challenges. Confidence isn’t just a feeling, but involves the willingness to take action and pursue aims. It’s the belief that we can do something, for sure. Therefore, confidence is the most important resource in human well-being and performance. Further, what we think has a significant impact on changes in our attitudes. Thus, the best way for us to build self-confidence is to act as if we already possess it. This is where visualization can be beneficial. We were all born with confidence, and we can all get it back if we learn harder. By continually practicing and training our brains to be more confident, we would generate a more consistent outlook that results in a more positive attitude. Moreover, confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything, but from knowing that we can handle what comes up. No one in the world knows everything. Everyone is good at some things, but is not good at other things. If someone criticizes us, we take it as an opportunity to improve. If someone does better than us, we should see it as an chance to learn from them. Even confident people lose jobs, relationships, and sometimes, their health. Hence, when we realize that the twists and turns have nothing to do with what we did or should have done, it’s easier for us to feel confident in the world. Secondly, kindness involves a spirit of helpfulness, being generous and considerate, without expecting anything in return. Rather than viewing kindness exclusively as an action, giving kindness often is simple, free and healthy. Actually, kindness can increase our sense of connection with others, decrease loneliness, combat low mood and improve relationships. When we share kindness, it’s not just about how we treat other people, but also about how we extend those same behaviors and intentions to ourselves. Dalai Lama said, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible for us.” The more we do for others, the more they are likely to do for us. Even if things are hard for us right now, we still can try and find some small things to celebrate each day. Humans are usually hardwired to be kind. Nevertheless, if we want to show kindness to others, why not we start by being kind to ourselves first. Anyway, practicing kindness is free and is readily available to everyone.       At last, just as one single act of kindness can create a domino effect (ripple effect) that benefits dozens of people, everyone has the way to influence more than he/she thinks that he/she has. That is, anything that we feel comfortable with and get better at, takes practice. Whether it’s playing a sport, cooking, gardening and drawing, nothing gets better without practice. Every time we practice, we strengthen the neural pathways in our brains associated with doing that action. Eventually, something that we once felt difficult and insurmountable becomes easy in our everyday life. Practice makes perfect. In fact, perfection isn’t required. We just need practice, and we can make progress! In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook these small, genuine acts of harmony in our daily lives. So, we must be able to let go of the old beliefs, and find a profound sense of fulfillment and contentment within ourselves. We have to take easy to comprehend that it is the present moment in the simple choices we make, the intentions we set, and the ways we treat ourselves and others. Haven’t we, recently, had the time to cook healthy and balanced meals for ourselves and our loved ones, or to reconnect with an old friend or our family members? When we live at ease, we are, then, enjoying the sun shining on us, the buds starting to open, and the birds singing. Our hearts and minds are strong and complex, and we need to feed them with love and respect always. To be at ease is to be relaxed, centered and calm even in the midst of difficult situations. Life is not easy. But if we bring an energy of ease to each moment, we can find a lightness that offers support. To be at ease does not mean that everything is going our ways and falling into places just as expected. To be at ease means that even when things are not going as planned, there is an effortlessness to our steps, and it will be okay no matter what. The universe works with a balance of constriction and expansion. Thus, it’s much easier to be at ease when we feel expanded, and all is going well. There are two stated definitions of ease: 1) to make something unpleasant, painful, serious or severe; and 2) to move carefully, gradually, or gently. Being at ease actually requires both definitions in order to work. We must move with gentle intentions and mindful awareness while remembering to drop resistance that arises in certain situations. Ease is not something that comes automatically. It is something we must practice in a world full of unease. We have a choice in every moment to bring the energy of ease into our existence. The more feeling at ease we have, the easier lives we experience. To sum up, in order to be healthy and happy people, we ought to have full confidence in ourselves, and practice kindness to others. We, then, feel at ease in our whole lives in return. Powered by Firstory Hosting