第16部分(第3/6 頁)

2）

…　心靈小語

也許我們付出的只是點滴的金錢、時間或力氣，但這些點點滴滴彙集起來的力量就會猶如大海，不可估量。

The　Gift　of　Life

Anonymous

I　am　not　someone　who　had　ever　given　back　to　the　munity。　My　father　had　drilled　into　my　sisters　and　me　all　our　lives　that　charity1　begins　at　home；　and　so　I　gave　generously　to　family　and　friends；　but　rarely　to　any？outside　of　that。　I　have　always　greatly　admired　those　who　volunteer　their　time　and　money　and　are　in　the　trenches　helping　other　human　beings　when　they　are　in　the　most　need。　I　have　a　side　of　me　that　is　very　passionate2；　and　my　heart　breaks　when　I　watch　news　reports　of　the　Red　Cross　helping　storm　victims　after　hurricanes　or　tornadoes3　that　destroyed　everything　but　the　clothes　on　their　backs。　Only　I　have　never　been　pelled　to　do　anything　to　help　the　effort，not　even　to　write　out　a　check。

I　always　felt　bad　about　that；　but　even　guilt　didn’t　motivate　me　to　do　anything　about　it。　I　preferred　not　to　think　about　all　the　suffering　in　the　world；　and　I　did　this　by　switching4　the　station　on　the　TV　whenever　a　“Feed　the　Children”　mercial　came　on。　Out　of　sight；　out　of　mind　was　how　I　dealt　with　all　the　suffering　in　the　world。

In　my　mind；　I　often　defended　myself；　saying　I　was　just　so　sensitive　to　other　people’s　suffering；　and　that　I　would　only　suffer　myself　if　I　got　too　close　and　personal　to　it。　I　knew　I　could　never　be　in　the　trenches　with　people　when　they　were　in　dire　needs；　because　I’d　probably　be　as　upset　and　emotional　as　they　were。　I　told　myself　that　was　not　what　they　needed；　for　me　to　feel　sorry　for　them　and　cry　with　them。　What　they　needed　was　fort；　yes；　but　most　importantly　they　needed　is　someone　to　give　them　hope；　and　I　never　trusted　that　I　could　give　that　to　anyone。

Several　months　ago；　my　22…year…old　niece　phoned　me。　“Aunt　Lene；”　she　said