妮可兒的談天說地

Someone told me that they wanted peace so that they could give it to others. But you can’t give your peace to anybody else, just as you can’t give anybody your time. You cannot give a person who is dying even five more minutes.

Peace is very personal. By having peace in your life, you can become a catalyst for others, this is true, but you cannot give them peace. They have to find their own thirst, have their own understanding, and find that peace within.

That possibility is always there in your life. If you have the wisdom, you will take advantage of it. Sometimes people think wisdom is enlightenment. They see an old painting of a saint with a light over their head and think, “Oh, that’s an enlightened person.” But true enlightenment is when you recognize, and wisdom is deciding to choose the joy that is within you. It is not about knowing what’s coming tomorrow. Problems come and go. If you have a problem, one day it will go just like it came. Things will change—you will change—but the passion for joy, for clarity, will remain with you for the rest of your life.

My thirst for clarity, for joy, has not changed since I was very little. Everything else has changed—my likes, dislikes, what I eat, what I don’t eat. Everything has changed, but that thirst has not changed.

Choose that in your life. This is a choice that has to be made every day—to enjoy your life. You have to come as a free person, not with baggage, not in fear, because that won’t work. Problems come in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes they change their appearance. But what do you want in your life? This is a choice you’re going to have to make.

People have hesitation. I cannot do anything about that because this is you. Personally, for me, hesitation is a waste of time. I can tell you a story about hesitation.

Once there was a man who went to a fair. His teeth were really dirty—almost black. As he was walking along, he came to a display where a doctor was selling medicine for 15 cents. The doctor was showing it to people and offering that if somebody came from the audience with completely black teeth, they could wash their mouth with the medicine, and their teeth would become sparkling clean.

This man wanted the medicine, but he couldn’t decide. Maybe it’s too expensive. Maybe he doesn’t really want it. Maybe he does want it. Does it work? He’s standing there thinking, “Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?” He’s got a five-cent coin and a ten-cent coin, and he’s rubbing the two coins together over and over. “Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?”

Finally, all the bottles are gone except for one. So, the man takes his coins, throws them at the doctor and says, “Here, I’ll take it.” The doctor picks up the coins and says, “With what?” The man said, “Well, I just gave you 15 cents.” And the doctor said, “I’ve been watching you going, ‘Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?’ And in this process, you have totally worn down the coins. They are no good now.”

Hesitation is like that. The coins are our time. “Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?” If you are ready to make the commitment that joy is what you want in your life, you will be welcome. It’s never too late, but don’t hesitate, because in hesitation, you’re wasting your time.

When this breath comes into you—and it just did—nobody can say, “I have been breathing for 60 years, so it’s okay if I don’t breathe for six hours.” No, it’s not okay. Each breath is needed. Every day joy, peace, needs to be accepted, felt, understood. This is the dance. This is the symphony of life.

Prem Rawat

二00七年五月二日晚上，我在台中有個約會。

約會是很早就定下的，與業務無關，我要和兩位素昧平生的母親一起吃晚餐。

去年我收到了一封信，信中附了一本我的書，寫信人希望我能幫她在書上簽名，並且寫幾句鼓勵的話，因為她要把這本書送給另一個人。

我被她的信吸引住了。她說她是一位三十幾歲的媽媽，平常工作時間較忙，就把女兒送到安親班給老師帶。安親班裡有個五十幾歲的女老師，是一個有教育熱忱又很有愛心的人，老師非常疼愛她的女兒，就像親孫女一樣照顧，讓她感到很放心、很安慰。

有一天這位老師請假沒上課，後來輾轉得知她得了腦瘤，這位三十幾歲的媽媽就馬上去安慰她。人生的道路上有千百個轉折，兩個非親非故的人，竟然在不同的轉折點上，找到了生命的共鳴。


那一天，她們聊到抱頭痛哭。有感於這位老師為自己女兒的付出，這位媽媽就對老師說，以前你照顧我的女兒，現在請你把我當作你的女兒，換我來照顧你。這位曾經在榮總工作過的媽媽，於是每回陪著生病的老師去醫院看病。

接下來的日子，這對忘年之交就像親人一樣，互相扶持，互相照顧。後來有一次閒聊到閱讀，才知道她們還有一個共通點，她們都是我的忠實讀者。

這位媽媽心中就有了一個主意，她想給這位老師一個意外驚喜，送她一本我的簽名書，讓她在病中得到安慰與鼓勵，於是就寫了這封信給我。

看完這位母親的信，我的心馬上熱起來，我感動於這樣人與人之間的愛與慈悲，老師愛護學生如同孫女、媽媽照護老師如同母親，我們的社會缺少的不就是這種互相親密、互相扶持的力量？於是我不但寄回我的簽名書，我自己也想給這位安親班的老師意外驚喜和鼓勵。

我回信告訴這位母親，我說我覺得單單一本書好像是不夠的，能不能讓我也來加入驚喜行列，由我作東，請你們一起到台中亞緻酒店住宿一晚，當晚我也會出現，然後我們一起有個晚餐約會。

這位母親立刻又回信給我，她說她從來沒想到只是因為一封信，我竟然就給她這麼大的驚喜與力量。其實我想告訴這位母親，她才是了不起的。我不過是花一天晚上的時間陪她們，而她付出的豈只時間而已。
後來因為老師治療腫瘤必須開刀並接受化療，我們好不容易才敲定了時間。

見面的那天，我依約驅車前往台中。我的心裡其實帶著一個小小的黑影。那是剛剛得到消息，因為我反對興建蘇花高的態度，隔日將有立委帶著花蓮的鄉親北上到亞都飯店來舉牌抗議。

會發生什麼事情？會比舉牌更激烈嗎？我不知道。直覺告訴我，這樣一個約會，我不能缺席，即使隔天有許多紛擾的事等待著我去面對，但是有什麼比這件事更重要的呢？
我跟這兩位母親見面，表面上像是我在鼓勵她們，可是我心裡很清楚，被鼓勵的人是我，她們跟我分享她們的心情，分享她們那種人與人之間的關懷與信賴，這些豐厚的情感，她們毫不吝嗇的給予我，讓我感動。

她們幫助了我，讓我看到人心之間真誠對人的一面，也讓我覺得我的生命更有意義，當我還有一些殘餘的價值可以付出的時候，就應該堅持去做對的事。

我看著她們的笑容，即使知道隔天我會看到為了蘇花高、某些不同立場人物的表達，但她們的笑，讓我覺得世界還沒那麼悲觀，即使是面對與自己看法不同的人，也還值得多付出一些寬容與體諒。

Here we are.

Somehow it all happened. There is this beautiful planet earth—just gorgeous. The blue is just amazing. The rivers—the way they run, the way they sound, the way the sunlight shines on them and creates all these ripples. The green leaves—the turning of the leaves in the fall, and then the dancing of each leaf in the wind. It is spectacular. Deserts—just sand and more sand and rock formations.

And then you, who can appreciate it all. This earth cooled down to just the right temperature so that you can exist. Variations. The seasons—winter and the thawing of winter turns into spring, where life begins anew.

You are placed on this earth. You’re not going to last for billions of years. This story unfolds from almost nothing. One part unfolds, then another and another. It does a little dance of unfolding, and then it folds back up into that nothing. From that nothing to the unfolding to the folding back again is your existence, your story. Not somebody else’s story or their story for you as drafted by them, but your story as drafted by you.

Some people say, “Destiny is prewritten; whatever is written on each one of those pages is already written.” So then why pray? Whose mind are you trying to change? And if you pray and you think it works, then you have to change the definition of destiny. It’s not prewritten; it can be influenced.

Other people say, “I am responsible for unfolding every bit. I am the one who writes everything.” How about a happy medium? The fact that each part of the story is going to unfold is destiny, but there’s nothing written on the pages. The paper feeder is automatic. You write the story. What would you like to write? What should your story be like? Should it be about suffering, pain, anger, and a list of all the things you don’t have? Or should it be a really interesting story? The adventure.

The biggest adventure is not climbing Mt. Everest. That’s been done. The biggest adventure that will ever unfold in your life is you finding you. The story is fun. It is delicious, and it is the biggest mystery: You are never far from yourself, ever. The closest you will ever be to anyone is you, and the one you don’t know is you. You know everybody else, and what you have to do is find you.

Talk about an adventure—this is Dragon Land. Here, dragons are not imagination. They really exist. If you don’t tame the dragon in your adventure, it will eat you. And if you do tame the dragon, you get to fly on its back wherever you want to go.

In this story, there are swords, but there is one sword that has unbelievable powers—the sword of clarity. Everyone has it but is afraid of it. They’re not afraid of the dragon. They should be, because the dragon has only one mission in mind: Food. And if you are not careful, some of your most treasured things will be taken away from you.

You are the protector, the knight in shining armor of this story. You have the sword of clarity that can make everything right, but you’re afraid to pull it out.

Does this adventure start from your birth and then there is a happy ending? No, this story plays out every single day. You get to make a happy ending and you get to be victorious every day. Can you change the story? That’s a million-dollar question. A lot of people will tell you, “No. You cannot.” Me? Yes, of course you can change the story. And not only that, I have seen it changed. Even in your most frustrated, darkest day, there’s a place inside of you where you can go, touch that place within, and your story has changed.

If you choose to change the story, I’m here to help and I can help. I’ve helped a lot of people. But the most important thing is that there is a lot of hope. If you really understand that you can change the story, there’s a tremendous amount of hope—hope that this life can be fulfilled every single day. And that is a mighty nice hope to have. And not only hope, but tools to make it real.

Maharaji

我們都老得太快卻聰明得太遲　　 一位醫生的手扎 我的學長去年喪妻。 這突如其來的事故，實在叫人難以接受， 但是死亡的到來不總是如此。 學長說他太太最希望他能送鮮花給他，但是他覺得太浪費， 總推說等到下次再買，結果卻是在她死後，用鮮花佈置她的靈堂。 這不是太蠢愚了嗎？！ 等到......、等到.....，似乎我們所有的生命，都用在等待。 「等到我大學畢業以後，我就會如何如何」我們對自己說 「等到我買房子以後！」 「等我最小的孩子結婚之後！」 「等我把這筆生意談成之後！」 「等到我死了以後」 人人都很願意犧牲當下，去換取未知的等待； 犧牲今生今世的辛苦錢，去購買後世的安逸。 在台灣只要往有山的道路上走一走， 就隨處都可看到「農舍」變「精 舍」，山坡地變靈骨塔， 無非也是為了等到死後，能圖個保障，不必再受苦。 釵h人認為必須等到某時或某事完成之後再採取行動。 明天我就開始運動； 明天我就會對他好一點； 下星期我們就找時間出去走走； 退休後，我們就要好好享受一下。 然而， 生活總是一直變動， < STRONG>環境總是不可預知， 在現實生活中，各種突發狀況總是層出不窮。 身為一個醫生，我所見過的死人，比一般人要來得多。 這些人早上醒來時，原本預期過的是另一個平凡無奇的日子， 沒想到一個意料之外的事；交通意外、腦溢血、心臟病發作等等。 剎那間生命的巨輪傾覆離軌，突然闖進一片黑暗之中。 那麼我們要如何面對生命呢？ 我們毋需等到生活完美無瑕，也毋需等到一切都平穩， 想做什麼，現在就可以開始做起。 一個人永遠也無法預料未來， 所以不要延緩想過的生活，不要吝於表達心中的話， 因為生命只在一瞬間。 如果你的妻子想要紅玫瑰，現在就買來送她，不要等到下次。 真誠、坦率的告訴她：「我愛妳」、「妳太好了！」這樣的愛語永不嫌多。 如果說不出口，就寫張紙條壓在嶽鄐W： 「你真棒！」 ~或是~ 「我的生命因你而豐富。」 不要吝於表達，好好把握。 記住，給活人送一朵玫瑰，強過給死人送貴重的花圈。 每個人的生命都有盡頭， 釵h人經常在生命即將結束時， 才發現自己還有很多事沒有做，有些話來不及說， 這實在是人生最大的遺憾。 別讓自己徒留「為時已晚」的空餘恨。 逝者不可追，來者猶未卜， 最珍貴、最需要即時掌握的「當下」， 往往在這兩者蹉跎間，轉眼錯失。 人生短暫飄忽，包得有一首小詩這樣寫： 高天與原地，悠悠人生路； 行行向何方，轉眼即長暮。 正是道盡了人生如寄，轉眼即逝的惶恐。 有些事，在你還不懂得珍惜之前已成舊事； 有些人，在你還來不及用心之前已成舊人。 遺憾的事一再發生，但過後再追悔「早知道如何如何」是沒有用的， 「那時候」已經過去，你追念的人也已走過了你的生命。 一句瑞典格言說：「我們老得太快，卻聰明得太遲。」 不管你是否察覺，生命都一直在前進。 人生並未售來回票，失去的便永遠不再。 將希望寄予「等到方便的時間才享受」， 我們不知失去了多少可能的幸福。 不要再等待有一天你「可以鬆口氣」，或是「麻煩都過去了」。 生命中大部分的美好事物都是短暫易逝的， 享受它們、品嚐它們，善待你周圍的每一個人， 別把時間浪費在等待所有難題的「完滿結局」上。 找回迷失的生命， 死亡也閉O免費的， ─ 但是，卻要付出生命的代價。 勸你一句話：把握當下，莫等待。

在非洲草原上，常常有這樣一種令人吃驚的畫面：

當一隻幼羚羊剛剛能夠飛奔時，在獵豹和猛獅的緊緊追捕下，那些成年羚羊往往引領著小羚羊們箭似地奔出平坦的開闊地，然後引領著幼羚羊們奔向險峻的山嶺。

動物學家們驚訝地發現，羚羊們逃命的山嶺往往是附近最陡峭、懸崖最多的山嶺，尤其是那些陡峭的山崖，那裡往往是羚羊們的逃生首選之地。每當獵豹和雄獅氣勢洶洶地追來時，帶隊的羚羊會在一瞬間一躍而起，牠果斷地引領著羚羊們的浩蕩隊伍，避開重重攔截，向距離最近的山峰奔去。其實，一隻成年的壯羚羊如果在草原上飛奔起來，那些快如閃電的獵豹和雄獅也是很難追上牠的，牠矯健地在草原上左右盤旋，就是跑得最快的獵豹也常常對它望塵草及。

那麼，羚羊們為什麼在生命的攸關的時候卻要給自己選擇一片懸崖呢？當一隻幼羚羊剛剛學會在大草原上飛跑時，由於奔跑的動力不大，牠的腹肌並沒有被最大化的拉開，所以，既使牠撒開四蹄拚命奔跑，奔跑的步幅也不過是三公尺左右。但當一隻幼羚羊在獵豹和雄獅的瘋狂追逐下，被成年羚羊引領上峰頂，前無生路面對懸崖時，在後邊獵豹和雄獅的一步步虎視眈眈逼近下，在成年羚羊悲壯地捨命一躍中，那些幼羚羊也都會悲壯地攢下自己所有的力量，像一張徹底拉滿的弓，然後毀滅性地拚命一躍，讓自己從懸崖上箭一樣地射出去。幸運的羚羊，牠們會躍過深淵，跳到對面的山坡或峰頂上，就是那些不幸的羚羊，牠們也是躍落到淵底或躍落到懸崖斷壁上，由於牠們的身體柔韌和矯健，牠們不會遭到多大的損傷。而那些把羚羊們逼上懸崖的獵豹和雄獅，基於自己的身軀太過龐大和沉重，面對那些奮身一躍的羚羊，往往束手無策空手而歸。

最大的不同是，經過躍崖的幼羚羊們，在剛剛躍崖後，牠們的腹肌都有程度不同的拉傷，但拉傷很快恢復後，牠們飛奔的步幅明顯已經增長了，差不多可以達到近四公尺，這樣的步幅，就是在草原上飛奔起來，雄獅和獵豹們往往是望塵莫及的。

動物學家終於明白羚羊們給自己一片懸崖的目的了。

給自己一片懸崖，給自己的命運一片懸崖，絕地往往可讓你重生，絕境才會給生命創造出神話和奇跡。


看來有些殘忍 蛻變後的生命 是新生的開端,

人在最最困境的時候
就是最最堅強的時候
重生或許不是真正生命的結束與再生
卻是另一種人生的開始.......

很多事情在沒遇到前都覺得不可思議..
覺得自己一定沒辦法承受
但環境會讓人的心智堅強
在逆境來時生命的韌性就會展現出來