抄書唔洗擇日的

http://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-736316-786730.html

這個爺爺留下來的最後一封信會改變你的一生

親愛的瑞恩，康納爾，布倫丹，查理，和瑪麗凱瑟琳，
我的聰慧和懂事的女兒瑞秋鼓勵我為你們寫下我一輩子所學到關於生命的一切。我是在2012年4月8號，我的72歲生日這天開始寫的。

1. 當你感到低落或是絕望時，你一定要記得，你們每一個都是上帝給你的家人跟世界的禮物。

2. 你要把你的生命活得充實，不要害怕任何人或是任何一件事情。不管你的夢想多困難或是跟其他人不一樣，絕對不要放棄你的夢想。太多人沒有辦法這樣做因為他們太在意其他人的想法。記得，如果他們不會在你生病的時候送雞湯給你，或是當你有困難時來支持你的時候，那你不需要這個人在你的生命中。遠離那些酸葡萄而且還會一直打擊你的夢想的人。有夢想就一定要馬上做！生命中最糟糕的事情就是當你回頭看時發現你一直在對自己說 “我應該、我其實可以、我早就該…"。學會多冒險，多犯錯。

3. 世界上每個人都是一個普通人。有一些人會對一些名人或是頭銜很大的人膽怯。不要相信這個亂象。他們跟你一樣，有著同樣的疑慮、恐懼及希望。他們也要吃、喝、睡和像所有人 (跟你我一樣也會放屁)。挑戰強權，但是方式要圓滑，而且要有智慧。

4. 把你生命中所有想要做的事情寫下來。旅行、學習一個技能、學會一個新的語言、認識一個特別的人。寫下很多個，然後每年做一點。不要一直對自己說 “我明天再做" (或是下個月或是明年)。那就是確定會失敗的方法。你沒有明天，沒有"對"的時間。你現在就要開始做。

5. 練習愛爾蘭的這句 “Moi an olge agus tiocfaidh sí"。 (讚美孩子，她將蓬勃發展)

6. 一定要善待其他人，和把他們的需要擺在你自己前面。特別是弱勢的、恐懼的，和孩童。每一個人都帶著他們自己的悲傷，他們每個人都需要你的關懷。

7. 絕對不要從軍或是加入任何會叫你殺人的組織。戰爭是邪惡的。所有的戰爭都是一些會強迫或是欺騙年輕人去殺其他人的老傢伙。這些老傢伙會存活，然後，就像他們用筆跟紙開始戰爭，他們也會用同樣的方法結束戰爭。好多的好人跟無辜的人因此死亡。如果戰爭這麼好而且又有意義，為什麼那些開始戰爭的人不在最前線衝鋒陷陣？

8. 念書，念很多的書。它門是知識、快樂、靈感的來源。你不需要電池或是網路。它們可以跟著你到處走。

9. 一定要誠實。

10. 旅行: 而且在你年輕的時候一定要一天到晚旅行。不要等到你有"足夠"的錢或是等到一切都已經"就緒"。那永遠都不會發生的。快點開始打包行李。

11. 選一個你熱愛的工作。當然，每個工作都一定有他辛苦的地方，但是你的工作一定要帶給你快樂。你一定要小心不要找到一個只有讓你賺很多錢但是會讓你不愉快的工作 – 那會把你的靈魂都摧毀掉。

12. 不要吼叫。這永遠都不管用。它會傷到你自己跟其他人。我每怒吼一次，我就輸一次。

13. 永遠守住你對孩童的承諾。當你的意思是"不"的時候，絕對不要說"我們再看看"。孩子希望聽到真話。跟他們說的時候要充滿愛跟善意。

14. 如果你不愛一個人了話，絕對不要跟他說你愛他。

15. 要跟大自然多接觸: 去戶外、森林、山裡、海浬、沙漠。這是你的靈魂的能量。

16. 去看看愛爾蘭。這是我們家族靈魂的出生地 – 特別是西邊: 羅斯康，可萊爾、凱莉 (Roscommon, Clare, and Kerry)。(TEEPR: 當然我們的發源地不一定是那裡，但是我一直很像要去看愛爾蘭！SO…Okay！)

17. 要記得擁抱你愛的人。跟他們說他們對你有多麼的重要。不要等到為時已晚。

18. 要心存感激。有一個愛爾蘭的俗話: “這是我們生命中的一天，它去了就再也不會回來了。" 每天都要記得這一點。

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/life-advice_n_4979765.html

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we're revisiting a post we ran originally in 2012 in which an Irish grandfather wrote a letter of advice to his five grandkids just months before his untimely passing. Among his shared wisdom: "Be grateful. There is an Irish saying: 'This is a day in our lives, and it will not come again.' Live every day with this in mind."

On Sept. 3, 2012, James K. Flanagan of West Long Branch, N.J., died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He wrote this letter to his five grandchildren just months earlier and it is reprinted here with the permission of his daughter Rachel Creighton.

Dear Ryan, Conor, Brendan, Charlie, and Mary Catherine,
My wise and thoughtful daughter Rachel urged me to write down some advice for you, the important things that I have learned about life. I am beginning this on 8 April 2012, the eve of my 72nd birthday.
1. Each one of you is a wonderful gift of God both to your family and to all the world. Remember it always, especially when the cold winds of doubt and discouragement fall upon your life.
2. Be not afraid . . . of anyone or of anything when it comes to living your life most fully. Pursue your hopes and your dreams no matter how difficult or "different" they may seem to others. Far too many people don't do what they want or should do because of what they imagine others may think or say. Remember, if they don't bring you chicken soup when you're sick or stand by you when you're in trouble, they don't matter. Avoid those sour-souled pessimists who listen to your dreams then say, "Yeah, but what if . . ." The heck with "what if. . ." Do it! The worst thing in life is to look back and say: "I would have; I could have; I should have." Take risks, make mistakes.
3. Everyone in the world is just an ordinary person. Some people may wear fancy hats or have big titles or (temporarily) have power and want you to think they are above the rest. Don't believe them. They have the same doubts, fears, and hopes; they eat, drink, sleep, and fart like everyone else. Question authority always but be wise and careful about the way you do it.
4. Make a Life List of all those things you want to do: travel to places; learn a skill; master a language; meet someone special. Make it long and do some things from it every year. Don't say "I'll do it tomorrow" (or next month or next year). That is the surest way to fail to do something. There is no tomorrow, and there is no "right" time to begin something except now.
5. Practice the Irish proverb: Moi an olge agus tiocfaidh sí "Praise the child and she will flourish."
6. Be kind and go out of your way to help people -- especially the weak, the fearful, and children. Everyone is carrying a special sorrow, and they need our compassion.
7. Don't join the military or any organization that trains you to kill. War is evil. All wars are started by old men who force or fool young men to hate and to kill each other. The old men survive, and, just as they started the war with pen and paper, they end it the same way. So many good and innocent people die. If wars are so good and noble, why aren't those leaders who start wars right up there fighting?
8. Read books, as many as you can. They are a wonderful source of delight, wisdom, and inspiration. They need no batteries or connections, and they can go anywhere.
9. Be truthful.
10. Travel: always but especially when you are young. Don't wait until you have "enough" money or until everything is "just right." That never happens. Get your passport today.
11. Pick your job or profession because you love to do it. Sure, there will be some things hard about it, but a job must be a joy. Beware of taking a job for money alone -- it will cripple your soul.
12. Don't yell. It never works, and it hurts both yourself and others. Every time I have yelled, I have failed.
13. Always keep promises to children. Don't say "we'll see" when you mean "no." Children expect the truth; give it to them with love and kindness.
14. Never tell anyone you love them when you don't.
15. Live in harmony with Nature: go into the outdoors, woods, mountains, sea, desert. It's important for your soul.
16. Visit Ireland. It's where the soul of our family was born -- especially the West: Roscommon, Clare, and Kerry.
17. Hug people you love. Tell them how much they mean to you now; don't wait until it's too late.
18. Be grateful. There is an Irish saying: "This is a day in our lives, and it will not come again." Live every day with this in mind.

As was written in his obituary, James K. Flanagan "was proudly liberal and fought unyieldingly for the underdog. He was an accomplished author, poet, and seanchai -- Irish storyteller; he reveled in recounting the joy of growing up Catholic in Jersey City and his adventures in the Adirondack Mountains and on the Western coast of Ireland. His greatest love was spending time with his family, most of all his five grandchildren" Ryan (11); Conor (10); Brendan (9); Charles (8); and Mary Catherine (5)."

師說 (瑜伽篇)

上美人魚爸爸的課，又是金剛座。今次有新同學，他說：
係咪好痛好辛苦？辛苦係付出，唔辛苦即係你無付出過。而付出，先至會有收獲。

慘…中箭。金剛座對我而言已如吃生菜，一點不辛苦，那麼我是否有負練習瑜伽的時光？再說，我現在活的有點太舒服了吧…最近的比較大的風浪還不過是一個緊急應變，我還嫌自己不夠冷靜。當然，在瑜伽課中，並不是思己過的時候，就立即收拾心情，專注式子練習。

不一會，我就得到回應了。首先，在plank pose的時候，美人魚爸爸來糾正我的頭頸。"要練習頭和背要成一直線，不要低頭。" 再來做拜日式，老師竟然要求八點到地的動作以額頭 (而非平日的下巴)著地，也就是說，在plank的基礎上，雙膝著地，臀部保持plank pose的高度，屈曲雙手，胸口與額頭著地。完．全．做．不．到…鼻子扁了也做不到。然後，從八點到地到cobra，還要保持臀部高度，用雙手撐起身體，才放下臀部 (而非平日把身體先平躺在蓆上再撐起)。又是做不到。課後問美人魚爸爸，他說我手臂不夠力、胸口也未抬得夠高。

於是，你就知道，在練習瑜伽上，自己還有要努力的地方。那麼，在日常又是甚麼呢？你自己也是知道的。