歲首漫步Strolling in a Melaleuca Forest on New Year's Day

歲首，且來一次安靜的林中漫步，心懷昨日，步放明天。

在祂所創造的美麗光明物裡，得享久違的當下，所有內心紛擾愁煩，都像千層樹一樣, 層層脫落，天天更生，歲歲崢嶸。

May all our sorrow and anxiety shed layers like these Malecuara trees in the new year.

Nomadland

    上週一個上午，我去看了Nomadland。

    這部需要平平靜靜地看的電影，沒有賣弄電影技巧，也沒有美麗的場景，十分平淡，常常都見到女角在荒漠上目睹其他人離開，只留下自己孤身一人。這幾乎就是一部黑白電影。，除了演員的行為和內心世界，沒有什麼會讓我們分心。

     影片中的每一個人，都是以車為家，在物質上幾乎一無所有。他們背後都有故事。他們大多無依無靠，又或者不想依靠別人；有些人甚至經歷過創傷。但他們並不把自己與其他人隔離開來。 當人們一無所有時，他們珍惜在路上遇到的人，慷慨地分享他們的一切，相互支援，但又保持獨立。 他們散聚隨緣，深信將會在路上定會再遇。

    即使Fern有兩次機會在家中定居，一個是她姐姐的地方，另一個是要求她留下的男人。她選擇了繼續在荒野中的旅程。 我想，當Fern的丈夫離開後，她意識到沒有一個人類的[家]再能容納她寬廣的心。 當她所愛的人離開後，她把生命皈依了天地。

    當Fern最終面對咆哮的大海時，她知道自己屬於這個不可預測的大自然，就像她未來的生活一樣，總是無盡的不確定性。

    這電影令人有點難過，但影片所呈現的，只不過是我們生活命的現實而已。 

    這是一部詩意的電影。當我們珍重地聆聽生命時，生活就會變得詩意。

     有不少人說這電影展現了二百多年前的美國拓荒者的精神，我卻認為，那是一個人在尋索自己靈魂的旅程，沒有國籍與地域的分別。

鳥人相遇 (When a bird meets a human being)

今午近黃昏時，我坐在大學校園的安靜的湖畔, 坐在兩棵水松間的長椅上做靜觀祈祷。

      週遭本有些鳥語，正合閉目静思的環境，不久，卻聽到近處冒起一陣密集的鳥叫，叫得越來越起勁，好像發生了什麽事情似的，我最終都忍不住張開眼睛，發現原來長椅旁，我腳下的近處，有一隻黑領椋鳥，正抬起頭望著我，張大鳥喙，使勁地向木坐的我「喊話」，好像要喊到我回應才罷休，牠分分明明是很有意識地從草地上近距仰視坐在椅上的我，並且很有目的似地使勁張大鳥喙鳴叫，好像很熱切地告訴我一些事情。

      我難以置信地看著這小生靈，忍不住陋習，掏了手機出來想錄影牠，也許連串細碎的動作反而驚擾了牠，牠跳飛回我頭頂的水松樹梢上，继續喊話。

       我猜想，可能在静觀時，見到我這尊穿著天蓝色風衣紋風不動的身影，讓這黑領掠鳥以為我是一隻牠前所未見的人類以外的奇形生物，故好奇地試用叫聲试探我可有反應，結果，牠失望了，我原來都只不過是一個牠常見的人類。

      我真有點後悔，為何不仔細觀察或仿鳥語與牠談話，反而掏出手機來浪費了這寶貴的鳥人溝通機會。但是，我對於能成為這隻小鳥的好奇對象而感榮幸，因為牠視我為大自然的一部份。

     至今我仍然驚異著這小生命的強大意識。正如Dr. Jane Goodall 曾說: 人類並非大地上唯一擁有智慧，思想與情感的生物。

More than a Bird

     This afternoon I sat on the bench between the two pines on the lake's shore on the university campus, practising contemplating prayer. 

     Birds were chirping, and the fountain in the middle of the lake was singing. I enjoyed the serenity so much that I fell into a deep silence quickly. 

     Sooner there was an intensive bird chirping sound emerged very close to me. The chirping sound was intensified as if something had happened. It eventually aroused my attention. I opened my eyes and found that a little Gracupica Nigricollis was staying near the bench. It looked up at me, with its beak wide open, chirping vigorously at me as if it would not stop until I responded. 

     I look at this fantastic little creature incredulously. I couldn't resist my bad habit of taking out my mobile phone to record it. I guessed that my motionless figure in the sky blue trench coat had made this bird think that I was a strange creature other than human that it had never seen before. Hence, it was curious and tried to test my response with its call. 

     This little thing was disappointing because I am just a human being that it always comes across on the campus. I was nothing special to it. 

    I should have to talk to it instead of taking out my cell phone. I've missed such an excellent opportunity to interact with a bird. However, I am honoured to be an object of this little bird's curiosity as it sees me a part of nature. 

    I am still amazed by this little bird with such great consciousness. As Dr Jane Goodall said: "Human being is not the only creatures with wisdom, thoughts and emotion. 

靜聽自然 (Only in silence, we can listen to the story behind nature.)

     這幾天早上從被窩伸出頭來，溫度計顯示著在攝氏10度左右，這才是久違了的真正冬天。

     昨天太冷了，下午我一個人去離家不遠的原生林裡行山。這是一種非常有效的保暖方式，讓自己保持活力，而且越走越暖，越發想往前走下去。

     我走了六七公里， 這片森林是自然保護區，四周都是巨大的古樹。 我總是喜歡一個人在山林間徒步。 我可以聽得見淙淙的溪水，到處都有啁啾鳥鳴，還可以環手擁抱巨大的老樹，親炙其嶙峋壯厚的軀幹。 只有在寂靜中，我才能聽到大自然的故事。走到開闊地，陽光照在我身上，全身暖和，讓人有愉悅之感。 每一片葉子都在漸往下落的日影中閃爍，遍山生輝，洋溢著光明與暖意。微風在樹梢間輕嘯，踏在鋪滿落葉的山徑上，是生命榮枯之間的相遇；在森林的四季變化中，我也只是其中的一部分。 我也在經歷著人生的四季。 說到底，我也是山路上的一片落葉，終有一天輪到自己化作春泥，以另一個形態滋養其他生物，迎接下一個春天的到來。 ‎

     每次從森林回來，我的所有感官都被期間的聲音和景象所充滿: 風嘯，鳥鳴，流水，葉舞，苔痕，隱藏在林間的各種生命氣息，充份地體驗活在當下，這的確是一場療效非凡的森林浴。

    

     When I poke my head out of the quilt these mornings, the thermometer reads around 10 degrees Celsius, which is the real winter we have been missing for a long time.

     Yesterday it was so cold that I went hiking alone in the afternoon in a native forest not far from home. It was a very effective way to keep myself warm, and the more I walked, the warmer I got, and the more I wanted to keep going.

     I walked six or seven kilometres through this forest, a nature reserve, surrounded by giant old trees. I always like to hike alone in the mountains and forests. I could hear the murmuring streams, the chirping birds everywhere, and I could hug the vast old trees around me and touch their twisted, thick trunks. Only in the silence can I hear the stories of nature. As I walk out into the open, the sun shines on me, warming my body and giving me a sense of pleasure. Every leaf shone in the falling sunlight, and the hills glowed with light and warmth. The breeze whistles through the treetops, and when I step on the path covered with fallen leaves, it is an encounter between the glory of life and death.

     Amid the changing seasons of the forest, I am only a part of it. I am also experiencing the seasons of life. In the end, I am also a fallen leaf on the mountain path, and one day it will be my turn to turn into spring mud, to take another form to nourish other creatures and welcome the next spring. 

     Every time I come back from the forest, all my senses are filled with the sounds and sights: the wind whistling, the birds chirping, the water flowing, the leaves dancing, the moss traces, the various scents of life hidden in the forest, and the full experience of living in the present.

願我靈平安(May my soul be well)

 

                                                                                                   

         我總是為水中的倒影著迷。

       一個冬日早晨，溪區的每一種生物都非常活躍。那是一個非凡的時刻：鳥兒在鳴叫，漣漪在眨眼，魚兒在游動，竹樹葉子在跳舞，水往深流，晨風在吹: 一切美麗光明物。這是我踐行 " 活在當下 " 的最佳光景。所有的畫面、聲音和感覺都存留在我的記憶中至今。

       身處大自然中, 無比幸福; 且是免費的，並能醫治疲累的心。

      I am always fascinated by the reflection of the water.

    In one early winter morning, every creature in the stream area was still very active. It was a fantastic moment: birds chirping, ripples winking, fish swimming, bamboo leaves dancing, water flowing deep, the morning breeze blowing.  All things are bright and beautiful. This is the optimal moment for me to practice "live in the moment".  All the images, sounds and sensations remain in my memory till now. 

   Nature is indeed a blessing to us. It is free for everyone, and it heals the weary.