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“What sort of life do I have to look forward to; even if I do survive?”
“That’s for you to decide;” I answered。 “Only you can tell whether life in a wheel…chair would still be worth living。”
She thought for a while about this; and then she stated: “What I value most is having my children。 Follow you as you grow older; see how your lives develop。 Be there for you when you need me。”
She survived。 She recovered。 Today; many years later; she lives alone; in an adapted flat; where her daily routine is much the same as usual。 Except; amazingly; she’s happier than before: enjoying a late blossoming。
With brand new friendships and interests to sustain her; she depends on no one; her life is her own。
But now and then she remembers that critical moment; when a mother’s love for her children made all the difference。
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Feelings 感觉(1)
2000年的爱尔兰,全国上下都被一个消息震惊了:在一些宗教机构中,居然发生着虐待儿童的事件。
尽管令人难以置信,但这都是真实的:我们社会中最脆弱的一群小生命,由于各种原因未能得到应有的爱、关怀和保护,却被囚禁在房子里,剥夺了身份,忍受着饥饿和痛苦,任凭掠夺者凌辱。
有关当局早就知道他们的状况,但是却没有采取什么行动。谁会在乎那些无足轻重的孩子们呢?他们甚至连投票权都没有!
这一令人不安的消息,被一个理由安抚了——这是很早以前就发生过的事情了,现在事情改变了。
而现在,我们社会中最脆弱的一群小生命,由于各种原因未能得到应有的爱、关怀和保护,却流落在街头,被剥夺了身份,忍受着饥饿和痛苦,任凭掠夺者凌辱。
有关当局早就知道他们的状况,但是却没有采取什么行动。谁会在乎那些无足轻重的孩子们呢?他们甚至连投票权都没有!
要让那些掌权的人意识到,这些可怜的小生命的命运是掌握在他们手中的,需要的不仅仅是公众的大声疾呼。
康涅马拉(Connemara)的一个旅馆经营者给郡上的管理者写了一封言辞激烈的信,抱怨说在他所在的地区,一个以美丽的自然风光而闻名的地方,一些主要道路的维修却偏偏被安排在旅游旺季进行。就算这种行为不是一种破坏,那也算是没有专业水准和极度缺乏专业敏感性的表现了。
郡上的工程师在回信中礼貌地、遗憾地解释道:鉴于爱尔兰的气候,他们没有别的办法,只能在夏季维修道路,因为只有在夏天,柏油才能干。
当那位旅馆主人给我讲述这个故事的时候,他笑了:“这么多年了,我一直生气、沮丧,但这一切却都是源于我的无知!”
这让我想起了我认识的一个男人,由于他妈妈身患癌症,要接受治疗,他8岁便被送到了乡下的亲戚家,但是为了不让孩子多心,没有人告诉过他被送走的理由,而他的童年一直沉浸在这一阴影中。
他几个星期都缓不过来,觉得自己一定是做了什么不可原谅的错事,才不能回家,不能得到父母的爱。即使长大后他知道是自己误解了,但那种被拒绝的感觉还是存在着。
想想就可怕,即使是在我们说着这些事情的时候,有多少的生命和关系,都被充满敌意、破坏性的感受侵蚀着,而这些仅仅源于误解。
只有每个人在允许某种情绪生根之前,确保自己得到的信息是正确的时候,这世界上才能少一些对着错误的对象号叫的傻瓜。
门铃响了。一个朋友走进来,脸色苍白,眼眶红红的,眼圈发黑,他的嘴唇颤抖着说:“她离开我了,”他痛哭着,好像字字都让他钻心地疼,“14年的美好婚姻啊,她就这么走了。”
我忍不住想到,他的妻子曾悄悄地对我说过,他们的婚姻对她而言就像是一座牢笼:一个紧锁的牢房,沉闷而让她窒息,无法接近阳光和新鲜空气。“我一定得逃出去,”她平静地说,“否则只能死去。”
“我爱她,”他断断续续地说道,“自从我们相遇那天起,我就是为她而活。我的一生都在为她的幸福奋斗。没有她,我就失去了一切。”
他的话让我想到,这种对配偶的深度投入,似乎更多地是对男人而言的。我猜想,这是否来源于他们婴儿时期的一种无意识的渴望——那时他们所有的需求都会被一个慷慨的圣母满足,而她所要的回报,仅仅是顺从。
“这会不会是因为,”我小心翼翼地试探道,希望能够帮助他领悟些东西,“你们之间的关系一直更多的是基于你的而非她的需求呢?”
“根本就不是,”他突然反驳说,似乎是被冒犯了,“我从来都没想过我自己。我给了她一切,我的身体、灵魂,我的整个人都是她的。”当他再次沉思时,似乎又有些茫然了,“什么样的女人会想着要抛弃这样的爱啊?”
我无心回答他,或许有一天我会告诉他。
在所有的情感中,最危险的是那些我们不知道自己拥有的情绪。它们是冲动的原由;它们让我们的行为变得古怪,破坏了我们的判断力。
拒绝去体会那些痛苦的感觉是人类很自然的选择,但是,这种压抑多多少少要为破坏性的爆发负有责任。
那么,这是否就意味着,另一种极端就是健康的呢?一旦有些负面的情绪和感觉,便大呼小叫、呐喊、大笑或是大哭,没有一点克制?
有一件事是肯定的:一种感觉越是能证明自己,它就越是浅层次上的。任由情绪发泄,放纵自己,甚至通过这些来操控别人,都只能是不光彩的末路行为。
感情因素不需要影响我们的行为。就如同被宠坏的孩子,他们渴望被关注,但一旦我们识破了这点,他们就会安静下来,让我们自由地接受他们的存在。
Feelings 感觉(2)
最纯洁、最神圣的感觉,是那些在我们孤独、平静时在心底所感受到的。这些感觉,不在乎任何人的赏识,也不去迎合任何一种需求。它们,就是我们的一部分。
原谅你的敌人,是一种甜蜜的乐趣。毕竟,你的尊严和道德在此时战胜了对手。没有什么东西比对手的原谅更能摧垮一个邪恶的人了。
如果一个你深爱的人犯下了伤害你的错误,让你失望,践踏了你的心,那就是另外一码事了。你怎么能够原谅他呢?然而,原谅却可以减轻已经造成的伤害,而你需要做的,仅仅是,宽恕。
当你真正想要的是让伤害你的人内疚,让他们知道任何愧疚都无法弥补他们的过错时,你就是在惩罚他们,即使是以毁掉你自己为代价。
痛苦是一种病;唯一的治愈方法就是原谅。但是,并不是每个人都有勇气去唤起内心的力量来作出这一壮举。
因此,我建议你,为了预防这种需要你谅解的事件发生,如果真的感到受伤,你要在一开始就坦白而诚实地说出你的感受,而不要等到那些伤害开始溃烂以后才让对方知道。
另一个安全的措施,就是要确保你的任何语言和行为都不要成为滋养这种危险的、深至于心的怨恨生长的温床。
对原谅的需要,如同缺乏原谅一样,都会让关系终结。
Ireland; 2000: The national conscience has been shattered by revel…ations of the ill…treatment of children in religious institutions。
Inconceivable but true: the most vulnerable members of our society; who; for a variety of reasons; did not receive their rightful share of love; care and protection; were incarcerated in homes; stripped of identity; left to starve and suffer; prey to predators who abused them。
The authorities knew about their plight but did little to relieve it。 Why should anybody care about children of no consequence? They did not even have a vote!
The knowledge is disturbing but eased by the excuse that it all happened a long time ago。 Thankfully; things have changed。
Nowadays; the most vulnerable members of our society; who; for a variety of reasons; do not receive their rightful share of love; care and protection; are sent out into the streets; stripped of identity; left to starve and suffer; prey to predators who abuse them。
The authorities know about their plight but do little to relieve it。 Why should anybody care about children of no consequence? They do not even have a vote!
It will take more than a public outcry to change the way decision…makers feel about those wretches whose welfare depends on them。
A Connemara hotelier wrote a furious letter to the County Manager plaining that; in his area; renowned for outstanding natural beauty; major road repairs were consistently carried out in the height of the tourist season。 If this wasn’t sabotage; he growled; it was an example of extreme professional insensitivity。
The County Engineer replied; politely and regretfully; explaining that; given the Irish climate;they had no option but to repair the roads in summer; as otherwise the tar wouldn’t set。
The hotel owner laughed when he told the story。 “Years of anger and frustration – and all due to my own ignorance!”
I was reminded of a man I knew; whose childhood had been overshadowed by the fact that; aged eight; he had been dispatched to relatives in the country; while his mother underwent treatment for cancer。 To spare the boy; nothing was said about the cause for his removal。
He suffered through many weeks; assuming that he must have done something terrible to forfeit the right to his home and to his parents’ love。 Even after he grew up and got his facts straight; the feeling of rejection persisted。
It’s staggering to think that; even as we speak; countless lives and relationships are being ruined by virulent; destructive feelings generated by pure misconceptions。
Feelings 感觉(3)
If only everyone ensured that they were properly informed before allowing a feeling to take root; the world wouldn’t be full of fools barking up the wrong tree!
The door…bell rang。 A friend walked in; pale and shattered。 Dark rings under red…rimmed eyes; lips quivering from restrained emotion。 “She’s
left me;” he whispered; as if expecting the words to hurt。 “After fourteen years of an ideal marriage; she’s upped and left me。”
I couldn’t help thinking of his wife telling me in confidence that the marriage; to her; was a prison: a locked cell; stifling and restrictive; no access to daylight or fresh air。 “I shall have to break out;” she had stated calmly; “or else go under。”
“I love her;” he said brokenly。 “Since the day we met; I’ve only lived for her。 My life was dedicated to her welfare。 Without her; I have nothing。”
It crossed my mind that this degree of spousal devotion seems to e more naturally to men。 I wonder if it stems from an unconscious hankering back to the blessed state of infancy; when all their require…ments were filled by a bountiful madonna; who asked for nothing but submission in return。
“Could it be;” I ventured